Lost In A World Called Home
by DragonsRuleYourDreams12
Summary: What happens when dear Alphonse sits where he doesn't belong? One thing- The Homunculi come. And they are destined to kill and weaken what the Fullmetal Alchemist cares most about. But what if Ed isn't there to help Al? What if he's dead?
1. Lost Memory

**Hey... This is my first FMA fanfic, so, please be a little respectfull with the... Uhh... Reviews, thanks. I tell you now, those Alphonse fans out there might like my stories, because a do a lot of writing about Al. ****I normally don't post it, so... I'll try! Here goes it! **

Lost In A World Named Home

An Alphonse Fanfic

_Where am I? _Alphonse thought. He yawned and sat up. A rustling sound close to him alerted the young teen.

Ed sat up in the bed next to Al. He yawned and scratched at his blonde head, oblivious to Al's confusion. Ed stood, streching. He yawned once more before trying to scratch an itch on a lower part on his back that he seemingly couldn't reach. Ed blinked and noted that Al was, indeed, awake. "Good morning, Al." Ed muttered, his voice rather 'scratchy'.

"Good morning, Big Brother." Al's voice was steady, unlike Edward's, but unsure. Al didn't want to make the effort to get up just yet. He smacked his lips and breathed in a breath of fresh air, deciding that today was going to be a day to relax and be lazy. But he wasn't sure if Edward would agree, since Ed's schedule was usually jam-packed with things that Al had no intrest in. Ed would usually just tell Al that he was younger and wouldn't understand. Al srugged off the thought and wiggled his toes underneeth his white bed sheets.

Ed smiled and opened their bedroom door. "I'm going over to Winry's house in ten minutes. Come along, if you like."Edplaced his hand on the doorknob, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

_Oh, I'm fine with that. Go anywhere you want to, Brother. I'm fine in bed. _Al thought, but chose something else to say. "Okay. I don't think I'll be joining you. I might have breakfast made for you when you get back." Al smiled. He knew, with that said, his 'Lazy Day' was then cancled. Al sighed quietly at the sound of yet another work day, but had grown used to it.

Ed paused and frowned. "Okay, then. You don't have to, nobody's demanding anything." Ed's voice always reassured Al that everything would be okay. Ed smiled once more, dipped his head slightly, a little more than a nod, and walked out the door. He closed it with a small feeling of doubt behind his brother's words nipping at him. Ed had learned to shrug the feeling off, but it always came back, later on.

Al stared blanklyat the white wall in front of him. _Why... Why did I wonder where I was? _He asked himself, feeling strange. _I... I must have hit my head on something when I was asleep. The wall. Yeah, now that I think about it... _Alphonse fiddled in his mind for excuses to calm himself down. "I do have a slight headache." He finished his thought virbially.

Ed slipped out of his T-shirt and baggy slacks into his usual clothes- Black jeans, black undershirt, black zip-up coat. He then held his silver watch in his hand, closely eyeing the Furher's seal on it. The Furher never did come across as the type of guy to ever acomplish as much as he had to Ed. Ed thought somebody else deserved the tital. No, not him, and certianly not that stuck-up Mustang, but, somebody who actually knew 'The Way Of the People'. Ed scolded, under his breath, that slogan. It wasn't true, everybody knew that. Ed blanked out, realising how stupid the short debate he had with himself was. Ed looked at the clock. He tucked the watch back into his pocket and left their apartment, locking the door, because Al often forgot to.

Al stood up, kicking himself for falling off his bed three times that night. He groaned at the 'crack' his back made when he leaned back, placing his hands on his hips. His aburn hair was ruffled up, half sticking to his head, the other half sticking streight into the air. Al walked out of the bedroom and picked something easy to make for breakfast. Ed liked it, and so did he. Al smiled at his 'smart' decision and went to the kitchen, opening cubbords and descovering that he had nothing for the meal. They were also out of everything to drink but milk and water, two things Ed either hated or disliked very much. Al knew he would have to go to the store, he just dreaded the thought.

Ed sat at her kitchen table, Winry on the other side.

Winry folded her arms and stared into Ed's golden eyes.

"I'm thinking of going back to Ishbal." He announced, a hint of sadness in his tone.

"For _what_?!?!" Winry demanded. She brushed her hair out of her face. A frown spread across her face, her eyes narrowed to a steady glare at Ed. If there was one thing she hated most, it was the Elrics going off for a long time without her. Winry even hated to leave her home.

Ed shrugged casually. "Well... I've got some things to do there, some I won't mention, because I don't feel like getting my head ripped off."

"I WILL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF IF YOU DON'T MENTION THEM TO ME!!!!!!" Winry shouted angerly, standing and slamming her hands agenst the hard wooden table.

Ed scooted his chair back nervously. If there was one thing he hated, it was Winry's nasty temper. "No, no! S-Stop," He stuttered, hoping it would ease Winry's anger, if only by a little.

Winry's face went blank. "Huh...? Y-You... You're going to tell me something for once?" Winry seemed as if she had never had a temper in the first place.

Ed's expression eased down to a gentle half-smile. He raised his hands in front of him, almost like Winry was a poliece officer pointing a gun at him. "Yeah, of course. Why not?" His voice shook from gentle to a calm laugh.

Winry sat back down again, obviously ready for a discussion. She stared, intently, into Ed's eyes, ready to hear his explination.

Ed lowered his hands back onto the table. "I... I want to do some exploration of the ruins there, maybe some of the bigger sand pits." He almost sounded as if he was making up his plan as he told it.

"Any reason for that?" Winry wondered aloud, leaning on the table with her arms crossed. It must've been comphortable, or she wouldn't have sat like that. Her eyes scanned Ed, as if the answer was written on him somewhere.

Ed shook his head. "Not really, yet. I have a hunch, but I don't think it's worth anybody's time but mine, so I'm just going to go."

"And Al?" Winry seemed bored with the subject. She wanted to get up and shove Ed out the door, wanting to go back to bed so much. But Winry knew that Ed and Al needed her support more than her napping, so she stayed seated and awake. Besides, sometimes things got more interesting as they went on.

"I don't know yet. He... He..." Ed stopped, lost in words. They tangled in his throat.

Winry waited for Ed's response, although his eyes wondered spaces other than answers.

"He's just been so... So... Out of it..." Ed even seemed shaken by his words. They tasted sour as they came off his tounge.

Winry frowned at it. She leaned back in her chair, confused.

Ed saw Winry's reaction and decided to go into further explination. "Al's been just really weird," He started. "Almost like he forgets who he is for a second. And he's always acting like if I go somewhere without him, he freaks out. But... Today, he didn't. He was calmer than ever. I don't know if he's sick or something else is wrong with him, it's just biting at me. I thought you girls are better with this stuff, you know. Instinct, or whatever." Ed twiddled his thumbs as he spoke, not daring to look Winry in the eye.

Winry looked down, thinking to herself. She ruled out a few different things, most of them sicknesses, and looked up again. "I don't know, myself. I think Al... Is lonely."

"Huh?" The thought never crossed Ed's mind.

"Yeah. Al doesn't play like normal kids his age do. He's always with you and the millitary, I bet he's just really bored."

"Nah, can't be." Ed disagreed.

Winry shrugged. "I guess your right. Maybe..." Winry's eyes blinked wide. "I know!" She blurted out before running out the door.

Ed stood, trying to think of what was running threw Winry's head at the time.

Al, meanwhile, walked outside and down the street. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, wondering why he even bothered to leave the apartment. Al stopped and gazed at the sky. Suddenly, faint voices filled Al's head. Al gripped his head because of the pain.

Small, black figures began to apear, and covered Al's sight, both his mind's eye and his regular vision. Al cried out.

The figures had no faces, just pure black figures of people, all the same. They began to smile wide, pointed, devious grins, one by one. The voices grew louder, chanting Al's name. Al felt a sudden rush of emotions before collapsing. The pain grew and grew until it became too much to handle for the young teen, grew until he went out cold.

Ed followed Winry to their apartment. Ed looked down the street and saw something rather limp and disfugered in the middle of it. He stared at it until Winry bumped him.

"Something wrong, Ed?" She asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Hold on a sec." Ed turned from Winry and stared deep at the thing in the road.

Winry didn't wait. She walked over, her hands behind her back, swaying a little in every step. She gasped when she got within three feet of it.

Ed ran to Winry. He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "What?!" He asked, his voice shaken, but hard and demanding.

Winry pointed forward, her hand shaking.

Ed turned, slowly, around. He saw a bunch of black figures standing around Al's limp body. They smiled wickidly and laughed. Each slowly faded away, hissing at Ed. Ed shook his head, feeling their wispers start to crawl in. They backed off. Ed then geared his attention to Alphonse and only Alphonse.

_Gah! Don't be dead! Hang in there, Al! _Ed screamed in his mind.

Al ran threw darkness. He ran past people reaching out, pulling on him, trying to draw him back. There was a bright yellow light, and a faded whiter one. The bright yellow light was behind Al, chasing after him. He ran harder and harder as the light inched it's way closer. The people held Al back just enough for the light to rear up and suck in his leg. One person didn't let go of Al. The light drew closer, licking up at Al's thigh.

Suddenly, a pure white hand reached out, and, ever so gentle, wrapped around Al's wrist. This hand was warm and soothing, unlike the cold, hard hands reaching out at him. The one person that didn't let go smiled. It's smile was somewhat friendly, but still had that hint of anger to it. It let go, noticing the white hand had a stady grip. Al was pulled out of the yellow light, away from the millions of lost people. Al looked up. He was standing on hard, black ground, just in front of the white light. It was still, almost like a door. Al heard fain chants of his name coming from the door. Al studied the person still holding his hand. It, or, as Al found out, was a she. Her features were flawless and perfect.

"Alphonse," Her voice was soft and angel-like, just as warm as her hand. It soothed Al just like Trisha's voice did. "Do you remember me?" She asked, phrasing the question like a statement, almost as if it didn't have an answer. It rolled off her tounge like the answer was written in the words, and Al knew just how to read it.

"M-M..." Al stuttered, wide-eyed. He knew what to say, just not how to say it. Al opened his arms wide and wrapped them around her, sniffling, tears pouring down his cheeks. "Mom!" He sobbed happily.

Trisha smiled sweetly and hugged Al back, also gently pulling the boy away. She put her hands on his shoulders, looking deep into Al's eyes. "Al, honey... This... You can go back. Back to Edward." She smiled, sadness as her tone.

Al shook his head. "No, Mom! I wanna' stay with you!" Al cried.

Trisha shook her head. "Alphonse... Edward needs you. Winry needs you. Please go back. I'll always be with you," She stroked Al's head, smoothing his aburn hair, the other hand on his face, clearing the tears from his cheeks.

Al sniffled. He knew Trisha was right. "N... No... M-Mom.." Al gave it one last try.

Trisha smiled, looked Alphonse deep in his eyes one last time, and gave him a warm kiss on the cheek. "I love you. Please tell Edward that I love him, too."

Al nodded, wiping his eyes from the tears starting to build up. "O... Okay, M-Mom..."

Trisha ruffled Al's hair. "Al... Can I hear you call me... Call me that one last time?"

"Mom... I... I love you."

"I love you too, honey." Trisha kissed Alphonse for the last time, turning him to face the white light. "You can cry now. No one will ever care. Don't hide your fears, Al. Fight with me in your heart. Fight for your brother. Cry will all your heart. Make everyday the best it can be. I'll be waiting for you when the time comes. Just don't ever make it this soon ever, ever again."

"I promise." Al didn't look back.

"And keep me in your heart at all times. Promise me that." She eased him into the door.

"Al!" Ed shouted, holding Al in his arms.

Al opened his eyes, grunting. Ed, suprised, hugged Al tightly. Winry sobbed hard. Al smiled. "B... Brother..." He coughed. Ed let him go. Al stood, but fell back to one knee. Ed frowned and walked away. Al stared at Winry.

Ed stood in front of Alphonse. Al sat on the couch, by Winry, at their apartment.

"W... Why?" Ed asked, annoyed.

"What?" Al wondered, knowing he was going to get chewed out.

"You idiot! You could've died!" Ed yelled. He clutched his hands into fists.

Al cocked his head back, obviously not liking the insult. He stared at his angry brother, wondering when he would get the chance to explain himself.

"Gah! I can't believe you! You're just like a stray puppy! Go getting into trouble when your owner's not around- It's unbelieveable!" Ed growled, pacing back and forth in front of the couch.

"Oh no, Brother!" Al gasped before Ed could yell at him again. Ed stopped.

"Huh?" Winry looked at Al strangly.

"The number one rule of alchemy!" Al blurted out, starting to shake.

This caught Ed's attention. "What kind of crap did you get into?!" He growled, looking at the ground.

Suddenly, Ed saw a long black arm reach out of the ground and grip Al's anchle. A burst of bright blue static blazed the room, blinding everyone in it for a split second. Al screamed. The light faded.

"Al!" Ed shouted, lunging at where the couch was.

Al curled up. He was shaking and was making short sobbing noises, almost like he was going to cry. Ed backed off. Winry screamed. Ed flipped around.

"What?!" He looked around.

Winry was shaken, also. "I... I swear... I... I..." She stuttered.

Ed nodded. "Al, you okay?"

Al looked at Ed. "W... Who's 'Al'?"

Ed blinked. "H... Huh? A-Al! Don't do that!"

"I-I don't know anybody by that name, m-mister! I'm sorry, I don't even know who you are!" Al retorted, curling up tighter.

Winry put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "I... I saw that thing come up and grab Al. He was talking about alchemy's number one rule. Could it be... That Al was spared from death, and the 'Toll' for it was him loosing his memory?" She asked.

Ed nodded. "Y... Yeah... I guess," He turned to face Al. "Your name is Alphonse."

Al looked down. "Everything is blank. I... I don't know where I live... I don't know who I am." He stared down at the floor, somewhat expecting to remember something. "W-W... Wrath!" Al exclaimed, standing up.

"Do you remember anything?" Winry's eyes lit up.

"No, just somebody named Wrath. A little kid. Maybe... Maybe he'll know!" Al ran out the door.

Ed stood, shocked. _What... What if it was Wrath that saved Al? What kind of toll is loosing his memory, anyway?_ Ed growled. He started at the door.

Winry stopped him. She looked into Ed's eyes, not having to say anything. Ed nodded.

"Sorry, Winry. Al can't join Wrath. I need to get his memory back. Al would do the same thing. It's time I used my millitary forces as a state alchemist to help Al."

Winry nodded, forcing back a tear. Worry filled her heart, at the same time, faith for the brothers.

Ed sprinted down the street, calling out Al's name. He sped down an alleyway, streight to the _Devil's Nest_. He skided to a stop at the door, panting. Sweat dripped down his forehead. There was no sign of anybody in the old shop, a sign Ed feared to see. His panting became harder and faster and he took off running again. The shouts calling out for his younger brother became shorter and shrill and frantic.

Out of the shadows walked a tall, black-haired man wearing black leather. His hair was short, on his face a wickid grin. His arms were folded. He wore a black, sleveless shirt underneath his sleveless leather vest, which dangled open to his sides. He tipped down a pair of glasses, leaning agenst a brick building.

Ed stopped and turned, halfway, to see the man.

"Ah, Edward, is it?" The man smerked.

"What have you done with my brother?" Ed's demand would stay unanswered, Ed knew it. But he was prepaired for any kind of fight, be it alchemy or hand-to-hand.

"_Me? _Are you sure we're on the same page?" The man frowned, taking off his glasses.

"Shut up and tell me, before I hit you so hard you loose _your _memory." Ed threatened, prepairing to clap his hands.

The man just tucked his glasses neatly into his shirt, then cracked his knuckles.

"Tell me!" Ed leaped at the man, clapping his hands.

A stone pillar rose from the ground at the man. He dodged it. Ed clapped his hands together again, this time summoning a sword from the wall. Ed stabbed it at the man. The man summoned something to make his skin turn a sickly grey. The sword 'clanked' upon hitting the man's grey skin.

"Tell me, Greed!" Ed yelled at the man, dropping the sword and clapping his hands.

A large stone pillar wrapped around Greed. It held him still as Ed grabbed hi sword once again. He ran up to Greed and held at at his bare skin throat. Greed smiled and began laughing.

"Edward, you will never learn, will you?!?" Greed laughed, not feeling one bit intimadated. "You and Alphonse are so far gone! You're lost! Lost in a world called home!"


	2. Rage

**I hope you guys liked the last chapter! Trust me, I promise to make this thrilling! I was listening to the song **_**21 Guns **_**by **_**Green Day **_**when I wrote the last chapter, so it might be a little longer than this one is. Anyway... Oh! By the way, for those who may not have caught on... This story sort of takes place after Ed and Al get their bodies back. Both of them. I know it doesn't happen in the anime, but... Al is human, Ed doesn't have **_**Auto-Mail**_** anymore, and their mom is still dead. There. That makes me better to know everybody that reads my story is on the same track I am. =) Please read and review! I'm fine with bad ****reviews... But I still like good ones better! By the way... Alphonse gets a new name in this chapter. **

Al smiled and slurped down a mouthfull of noodles that Wrath had given him. Al had met Wrath just outside the apartment, who them took him to 'Father's' base, and had given him a small token of 'Father's' gratitude.

Wrath stood beside him. "You like it? Do you? Father made it for you!" He sang happily.

"I love it!" Al exclaimed.

"Good." A voice came from shadows.

Al looked around the room that Wrath had brung him to. "W... What was that, W-Wrath?" Al stuttered.

"Father," Wrath wispered back, getting down on his knees and bowing.

Al mimicked him.

Father came in the room.

"You're not Father!" Wrath frowned upon seeing the apearence of a man.

It was a man in a blue millitary suit, black hair, and a black eye-patch on one eye. He walked with his hands tucked neatly behind his back. "Yes, I am not 'Father'. But I do have a supirior rank than you, child. So stay bowing." He stood in front of Al. "Wrath brang you here, yes?"

"Correct." Al stuttered, keeping his gaze away.

"The man who called you 'Alphonse'... That man is evil. No good. Join us, please. We will take care of you. After all, Wrath is family."

Wrath looked at Al and smiled and nodded.

"R... Really?" Al stuttered, daring to look up.

"Yes. Now, are you going to join us and defeat this man? He wants to kill. We do not. Please join us and let us give you a proper name."

"O... Okay." Al didn't know what to do. He was happy knowing Wrath was family, and he would be with family.

"Good. We shal call you 'Rage'."

Rage nodded.

"Wrath, show Rage around."

"Yes." Wrath agreed.

Rage and Wrath got up and walked out the door, to the bright sunlight.

Wrath smiled and yawned. "Hey, wanna' go play in the park?"

"Hmm... Nah. If it's okay with you, I'd really like to just slow down. Get used to everything, my new name, new eveything... Mostly try to remember things I have forgotten. And that man... Both him and this 'Ed' person. Sorry, Wrath. Perhaps tomorrow?"

"Sure thing." Wrath smiled and walked away.

Rage shook his head, placing a hand on his forehead. All these emotions... This new place, and his first happening in it was on the couch of some 'Evil' person's house... Almost too unrealistic to believe. He brushed his hair from his face. The confusion and the pain... And those _things_... Those solid black, faceless people lingering in the darkest corners of his mind, the ones full of memories that he just couldn't reach. And that woman. That sweet-smelling, warm-voiced woman. Who was she? Why was she so glued into the young teen's mind? Why was she so familiar to him? Rage tried to shake such thoughts, but they refused to leave. Rage thought that some well-needed sleep might restore his fatigue, as well as memory. He thought he'd sleep under a bridge he'd spotted just about a mile out of town, since he was at a loss of money. Rage smiled and started his way there.

Greed broke from the pillar. "There's no saving him now." He laughed.

Ed glarred harder at Greed. "At least tell me if he's even alive." Ed needed to know at least one vital point, to know if it was worth the injury he would later on recieve from this quest. He needed to know if there was any light shining down. If there was any hope.

Greed sighed, stuffing his hands in his tight leather pockets. "Kid, you don't make this any fun, really. I was hoping for a dramatic exit, folowed by your shocked and depressed face, perhaps making this whole thing harder on you, maybe even making the story a chapter longer. But, _**no**_, you had to throw that question out there. I know I'm a bad guy, but, asking a question like that, I kinda' _have _to answer, or it just makes me look really bad, which is bad for two reasons. One- My fans would hate me. Every bad guy does make a little drama within the series by doing something the crowd wouldn't expect. Want an example? Scar. Watch the series. Scar does something turely amazing, but it would take much too long to explain it. Second Reason- The ladies. They just eat up the whole 'bad guy-doing-good' scenario. If the ladies were angry with me... I wouldn't have them, and I wouldn't be Greed, now would I?" Greed put his hands on his hips, frowning a little.

"Quit acting like _you're _the author and just tell me it!" Ed roared, his throat becoming somewhat sore from all the shouting he had done. He panted, breathing in a breath of fresh air to get that 'sour' taste on his tounge from talking to Greed off. Ed spit on the ground, trying to get that taste out in any way he could.

Greed sighed again, only deeper, and shrugged. He looked down. "I hate being the one to deal with hotheaded pipsqueaks like you." He gazed up at Ed to see his reaction.

**"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE NEEDS STILTS JUST TO SEE OVER A STRAW WRAPPER?!?!!!???!" **Ed yelled as hard as he could. It almost sounded as if a tyrant of elephants had marched down the street, all belowing and fighting over the last piece of food in the world.

Colonel Mustang looked up from his heavy stack of paperwork. The glass on the windows shattered beside him. "That's too bad, I feel really _sorry_ for _him_." He sighed, setting down his pen.

Leutenant Hawkeye raised her brow. "Sorry for who, Sir?" She asked, not bothering to scold Roy for taking a two-second brake from his work.

"Sorry for the guy who just called Fullmetal short."

Greed busted up laughing. He fell to the ground, clutching his sides. Ed glared harder at him. If Ed didn't need important information from this guy, Greed would've allready been dead. Scratch that, Greed's head would've been mounted on the _Devil's Nest _door with a sign saying 'Ha ha, look at him now! I bet all the ladies want to just run up and hug this severed head!' attached to his face.

Ed laughed a little at his horrible joke. At least it made him a little less steamed.

"Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! I take that back, kid! You are fun when you're mad!" Greed chuckled, getting up and catching his breath.

"Gah! You really are stupid, aren't you?!" Ed growled, getting more impatient with each passing moment that he didn't know where his little brother was. It really made him mad that all the information Ed ever needed was standing in front of him, laughing at him, and he couldn't give that information a serious beating.

Greed took in a deep breath and let it go again. "Whoo, man, that was funny. I haven't laughed that hard in a while now."

"Just answer my question!" Ed yelled, then wanted to kick himself because his throat was so sore.

"Okay, okay. Yes, the answer is yes. Alphonse is still alive, he just isn't the same person. I really don't think he ever will be, based on what he's been told... I can tell you this, because we're all itching for a good fight- Al will be one of the ones most geared to fight you if you wait too long. Look for him in the place you'd never expect, not places that we're known to hang out at. You're going to have to look inside the box if you want to save your brother. Perhaps the word 'box' isn't right. Maybe it's 'door'. Who knows? Only you. See ya' later, shorty." Greed leaped away.

Ed took in Greed's last words and made his way back to Winry at his apartment.

He sat on his couch, burying his face in his hands. "Winry..." He muttered.

"Yes?" She took her chin off her hand, looking up, since she had been slouching in her seat.

"I... I probably would've been balling my head off... If I wasn't so mad back there. I miss Al so bad. I worry about him so bad."

"Ed..." Winry placed a reassuring hand on Ed's shoulder. She knew not to look in his eyes. Winry sighed deeply as she stood up. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

Ed sat there for a while, not moving. Winry thought Ed just might've fallen asleep if he hadn't stood up when he did.

_'Door'? What did Greed mean when he said 'look inside the door'? I know Al's alive, but... Feh! Where do I look? And to 'save' Al? I shouldn't have to save him if he's still alive! _Ed roared inside his head. _Al, why do you do this to me!??! _

Al woke from his somewhat pleasent nap under the brige. He sat up and yawned. A new voice awoke in his head, also.

"Alphonse...?" The voice called.

Rage wasn't sure where it came from, and it scarred him a little, but he answered. "Y-Y-Yes...?"

"You are Alphonse...?" The voice cooed.

"No, my name is Rage. Sorry."

"Yet you answer to Alphonse. How come?" The voice was casual, yet confused, and still calm, with a gentle tone to it.

"B... Because... Err... I don't know..." Rage gripped his head.

"Do you know who I am?"

"No..."

"I am known otherwise as 'The Truth'. I am you, whoever you may be."

Rage blinked. "Are you going to give me my memory back?"

"No. Not exactly. I can give you anything you desire, but you must pay." The Truth shrugged.

"Pay what? I have no money." Rage searched his pockets. There was no answer. Rage stood and started walking down the street, feeling just a bit better. Sure, there was a voice inside his head, telling him false thoughts. But it was, at least, something he knew.

Rage saw Wrath. "Hi!" He smilled.

Wrath ran to Rage. "Hey! Rage! We've been called out to fight!"

"F-Fight?" A bead of sweat rolled down Rage's forehead.

"This little blonde guy. Me and you." Wrath smiled.

"I shal grant you the strength you need to fight for free, just this once. It shal stay with you forever." The Truth was back.

Rage's hands started to glow a ghostly orange. They became long and clawed, almost like that of a Dragon's. His hands were scaled and webbed to the wrists. "Thanks." Rage wispered.

Wrath and Rage ran to the side of a brick building. They peeked around the edge. Surely, there was a short blonde guy walking down the street. Wrath gestured at Rage to stay still. Rage nodded. Wrath waiting until the guy came within three feet of him before he lunged out, tackling the guy down. Rage noted him to be 'Edward'. The evil one.

"Urk!" Ed groaned, feeling Wrath's fist in his face. Ed clapped his hands. Two stone pillars came out of the ground.

"Now, Rage! Nail him!" Wrath called.

Rage felt a sudden burst of power. His clawed hands began glowing with fire. He sped around the corner and jabbed his claws into Ed, who was still on the ground.

Ed screamed out, closing his eyes from the pain. It was blazing and burning. He hadn't seen who had struck him, he only knew it was thing called Rage.

Rage leaped off and ran to Wrath. "You okay?" He asked. Wrath nodded and Rage smiled.

Ed opened his eyes and saw Rage. "Al!" He screamed, getting up.

Rage glarred at Ed. His power intinsified. Ed clapped his hands and drew a sword out of the ground. _Clak, clak, clank. Clank. Clak. _Blood splattered the ground. A fire belowed around the battle area. Eyes narrowed into glares. The only sound above the roar of the flames were quiet footsteps over to a limp body. A hand reached down and grabbed the sword by the body. One, two, three, four letters etched into the chest of the body. More footsteps. A harder roar of flames. The sky grew black. One winner, one looser. It was so dark... One was lost in a world called home.

**_________________________________________________________________________________________**

**Who is the winner of this battle? Who would ever have so much **_**Rage **_**within him to spill blood like that? What has Alphonse turned into? Will he ever turn back? Sorry this chapter was so short. I hope you all are sitting there with your jaw dropped and eager to read more. Please review... Please, no flames... If I die I can't write more, now can I? And you all will have to sit there, worried about poor Ed and Al, never knowing what will happen next... I was listening to **_**Allissa Lies **_**by **_**Jason Michael Carroll **_**when I wrote this chapter. Both very sad, aren't they? Thanks for reading. **


	3. The Fight

**Hey! It's me! Uhh... Here's chapter three! I did foreget to write the disclaimer in both of the last chapters, didn't I? Sorry. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned FMA, you really think I'd be sitting here with the time to write a story about it? No. ****So I don't. So sad... I want to own it, heck yeah. But I don't. There you go. Happy? On with the show! **

Colonel Mustang ran across town. He saw the flames licking high in the sky from the fire over by Fullmetal's apartment. He saw the sky, pitch black, taunting every second he waisted running. It only fuled his speed. "Fullmetal runt! Why do you have to put me threw this kind of crap?" He muttered to himself, trying to get his blue coat to stay draped over his shoulders. He foreged threw his coat pockets for his white gloves and slipped them on. Roy expected nothing less than the worse.

He stood behind the flames and snapped his fingers. Another small fire was formed and etched itself into the bigger fire. A small claring was smothered out, giving Roy an opening to slip in before the wall rebuilt itself. He ran in and saw a body, limp and looking lifeless, on the cold ground. _How long has it been here? Who does it belong to? _Roy asked himself as he slowly made his way to the body.

A gasp pried threw his lips as he aproached the body. "Who would do this to him?" He gasped, slipping his hand under the body's head. He picked it up in his arms and ran threw the wall of fire, the flames reaching up and burning any bare skin, as well as parts of his uniform. Roy swore under his breath at the singing pain from the burns. Across the body's chest was a word cut into the skin. "_Rage_," Roy read aloud. He started to nuge and shake the body, shaking it so it would wake, if it was still alive.

"Wake up! Wake up, Fullmetal!" Roy called out.

Other officers began to show up, each with buckets and hoses of water.

_Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... Chime... _Roy counted twelve chimes of the tower clock as he tried to get Fullmetal awake. At the last chime, Roy called it. "Twelve o' clock PM. Fullmetal... Why...?" Roy felt his throat choke a little.

A gasp of life came from Ed's throat. Ed coughed.

Roy became alerted. Based on Roy's basic knowlage of medics, he knew he had to get Ed out of the area and fast. Roy scoped up Ed again and bolted for the Millitary hospital, all the way talking to Ed, scolding him.

Ed didn't remember almost any of Roy's comments, execpt for the few ones with the word 'short' in them. He tried to frown.

When Roy saw Ed's attempt to frown, he knew Ed was going to make it. After all, Ed wouldn't be Ed if he didn't try to get mad at being called short. Roy smiled and ran harder, ignoring the constant sting of the burns he had recieved. He even smiled at the pain. It would get him at least a few days in the hospital, a few days of no paperwork.

But, way across town, Rage wasn't feeling so happy. He sat and stared at his blood-stained claws, feeling shock and despair. Wrath had told him to wait on a bench as he went and told the man with an eye-patch about their win agenst Edward.

Wrath smiled. "Yes, yes! We won! And it was all thanks to Rage!" Wrath smiled.

The man smiled, also, but turned from Wrath. _They won because of the Rage inside of that boy. They won because I had sensed such pain inside of him. If only I can fully awaken the Rage inside of him, if only I can awaken the Truth. _He smerked. He turned again. "Good job, Wrath. Share my praise with Rage, also. Regain your fatuige and power and strength. Rest up. Eat a good meal. Have a break. You two did well. Envy or Greed wouldn't have done such a wonderful job. Father will be happy when he learns of this."

Wrath's eyes lit up. "Thank you!" He called, bolting out the door.

"Father will be very, very happy..." The man laughed, walking into the shadows.

Ed sat up. Around his head was a bandage. It hurt to move. His Auto-Mail had been compleatly busted. "Crap..." He moaned. "Winry's gonna' kill me." It was then there was a knock at the door. Ed leaned forward a bit, groaned, and slumped back in his bed.

Roy opened the door. "Feeling better, Fullmetal?" He asked. Around his neck was a bandage. His face was burned, but not very badly. One eye was covered with a patch. Roy caught Ed staring at it. "Oh, this...?" Roy asked, putting a hand on the patch. "Just a burn. Nothing, really. When you play with fire, you get burned. As the Flame Alchemist, I should know what. Ha ha." Roy half-smiled at his little joke.

Ed frowned at it and looked away.

"Still don't like me, huh?" Roy sighed.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Ed asked finally.

"I could be like everybody else and say that I need my oficers alive for future wars..." Roy tugged on his jacket. "Or I could be nice and say that I've decided to help you."

Ed jumped. "Errk- What!!!?"

"Why so suprised, Fullmetal? You're surrounded by fire, injured, the name 'Rage' cut across your chest-"

"And you got all the details from Winry, right?" Ed finished Roy's sentence.

"And missing one little brother." Roy corrected. His eyes fixed into a steady glare. "I haven't talked to Winry yet. I just find it odd that Alphonse is... Gone?"

Ed swalowed hard. "Sh-Shut up!" Ed yelled at Roy. "It's my buisness to know where he is! It's my buisness to know and not yours!"

Roy flipped out a picture, sort of like how Hughes did. He handed it to Ed with scorn. Ed glarred at Roy before looking down at the picture.

A quiet gasp eased into the air as bright gold eyes saw the contents of the photo.

A single person wearing a red coat, bright orangle flames, and a look of despair was all that could be captured. The rest of the photo was blurred by the smoke of the flames. This person had a head of aburn-colored hair and pale white skin. He was running away from the scene, looking back over his shoulder.

"We captured this photograph just as the felon fled the scene. Nobody here, as stupid as it sounds, knows the felon. We thought you, perhaps, could tell us who he might be?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded. "Yeah, I know him. Why don't you, of all people, know?" Ed looked up, offering the picture back. There was signs of fear in his voice, but covered well with anger.

Roy sighed. "Hmm, might as well give up the act, eh?"

"Just tell me why you even waisted your time showing me this." Ed wanted Roy to take the picture back before he ripped it in half.

Roy leaned over and took the photo out of Ed's hands, slipping it into his coat pocket. "Well, Fullmetal, you certianly won't like this but..." Roy stopped, knowing that Ed would have something to say. Ed remained quiet for once. "We've peaced everything together. You've been out for a day and a half, long enough for us to know that Alphonse is no longer the person you've seen him as.

Ed's eyes widened. "Tell me about what you guys found out." He wispered, lowring his gaze to the floor.

"Alphonse is now working with the humunculi. He is called 'Rage', and holds more power than the others, far more. He has the power of flames, like me. You alone couldn't talk, or even fight, Alphonse back. He was convinced that we were evil and they were good. Alphonse also had no previous memory of either sides. We are waiting for your recovery to make any movements. We are hoping to trade Alphonse-" Roy was going to say more before Ed cut him off.

"_Don't you dare think I'm letting you touch my brother! He's nothing to be traded for, either, so just call it off!_" Ed yelled, clutching the bed sheets.

"We know you're in pain, Fullmetal, but Alphonse is now considered-"

"_Don't you dare tell me what my brother is! He's the same person I know, even if he's gone dark! I know he's in there, and he wouldn't slump to just let the millitary find me if I was gone!_" Ed shouted louder.

Roy was done with trying to be nice. "I have no care right now about your worries! If Alphonse somehow regained his memory while with them, we would all be murdered! If death is how we will get Alphonse out of the grip of the humunculi, then death shal be the toll!" Roy roared.

Sheska looked up from her book, shaken. "D-D... Did I just hear... Alphonse will be... K-Killed...?" She stood up and bolted to where she thought the sound had come from.

Ed looked up, his eyes burning. A single tear crawled down his cheek. He gripped the sheets harder than before, anger pulsing threw his veins. Ed stood, his head throbbing, and ran at Roy, pulling back his fist.

"_Stop!_" Sheska cried, flinging the door.

Ed stopped, his free hand wrapped in Roy's coat. Roy jumped at Sheska's voice. Ed kept his hand curled in a fist.

"D... Don't do it... Please..." Sheska looked down, she even scarred by her own shout. Her voice was broken by sobs that she kept in her throat. "D... Don't... Don't hurt Alphonse... P-Please..." The sobs didn't stay back long. They broke out, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. She coughed, trying not to cry. As the thought drove threw her mind, as the words crawled down her throat, the image of Al sitting in a pool of blood, a huge red stain on the chest of his shirt ran across her mind's eye. It only made sher choke and sob harder.

Roy looked over at Sheska. "Sh... Sheska... You have not a friendship with Alphonse, yet you care so much. How come?"

"A... Al... Was... Was kind to me... He... He stayed long hours at night, when all of you were asleep, cleaning and orginising the files with me, talking to me... Helping me... He was more of a friend than I've ever had...! He made it so me and Winry met... And ever since him... I've had friends and I haven't been so lonely! You can't do this to us, S-Sir!" Sheska's words stabbed threw both Ed and Roy's hearts.

Rage, meanwhile, had long ago fallen asleep on a park bench, waiting for Wrath. When he woke, he was in a pitch-black room, pain surging threw both of his wrists and both of his anchles. A set of slitted-eyes stared at him threw the darkness. They were about six feet away.

"So... You're awake, huh?" A voice hissed. A light flickered on. It was a candle light. Rage thought it was a man, the man that the eyes belonged to. The man slowly approached Rage.

Rage saw that it was a man with long, green hair proded out into spikes going everywhere and anywhere. Rage could hardly keep his one eye open. "Huh. You're not exactly what Pride bragged you up to be." The man put his hands on his slim hips. "I gess he'd kill me if I didn't properly meet you. I'm Envy." Envy looked down, sighing. He dropped the candle onto the cement floor. It flickered out. "Aww, crap... That was my last candle..." Envy pouted.

Rage listened intently, happy that he wasn't alone in the dark.

Envy looked into Rage's eyes. "So, can you talk, or do I have to feel like I'm talking to yet another brick wall?"

Rage looked down, then slightly nodded. "W... Where... Where am I?" He managed over the burning pain. He tried to pull his arm to his wrist, but found that it didn't move.

An overhead light turned on. Envy and Rage both looked up in unison, the Envy turned his head to a black door. It slowly creaked open, and the man with an eye-patch walked in, the same smirk on his face as before, his arms neatly tucked behind his back. Envy placed his hands on his hips again as a bored frown took away his slight smile.

"Hello, Envy, Rage..." The man smiled.

"Oh, _hey_, Pride..." Envy turned back to Rage.

The man, Rage found out to be _Pride_, walked over.

Rage looked down. He wasn't even on the ground. His limbs had been pinned onto a giant, wooden wheel. Clasps had been clamped around Rage's wrists and anchles, along with metal spikes jabbing into his flesh. Three in each arm, four in each leg, and one in his neck, just missing the spine and any vital points. Blood ran down Rage's pale skin.

Pride smiled. He passed Envy and stood just in front of the wheel. Pride reached out and gently touched Rage's skin. "You see, _Rage_..." He drew his hand away. "You are not one of us, and never will be. So, before Father finds out..." Pride looked to Envy, who stepped back in respect. "I shal simply get rid of you."

"Wh-W-What?!?" Rage stuttered.

"Hmmm...? Oh, yes. Rage... You possess so much rage within you... That I just cannot let you go. One of Father's children must have it. I'm sure, if you were more like us, that you would've made Father very happy, very happy indeed."

"N-No! I'm not going to d-die!" Rage screamed, struggling.

"You shouldn't more around much, Kid. It only hurts worse." Envy hissed happily.

A memory hit Rage's head. It was the memory of feeling nothing. Feeling no pain, feeling no worry. It was all... All _empty_. The feeling then pulsed threw Rage.

"You're welcome..." The Truth was back, once again, and had wispered in Rage's head.

"Thanks," Rage wispered back. He felt no pain from the spikes.

Pride then noticed Rage wasn't suffering anymore. This brought a frown to his lips.

Rage noticed the frown and smiled. "I told you, I'm not going to die." Rage ripped threw the spikes. He ripped out of the clamps. It made him smile wider when he felt no pain, though there were many large gashes and splinters in each of his limbs.

Pride frowned harder as Rage fell to his knees, but stood like nothing had ever happened. "Envy." Pride looked at Envy.

"It's about time, Pride!" Envy ran at Rage, tackling him down.

_The fight was on. _

Sheska turned to leave the room when a hand was placed on her shoulder. Roy smiled at her.

"I... I don't know what gets into me. Sheska... I assign you this mission to help Fullmetal, Winry, and me to find Alphonse."

"B-B... But I normally don't go o-out on m-missions..." Sheska stuttered, a wide blush spreading across her face.

Roy nodded. "Yes, I know. But I do think a change of scene will do us all good. Isn't that right, Fullmetal?" Roy turned to Ed's bed.

The wind tossed the hospital curtians back and forth. The bed sheets were roughed-up, and the window remained open.

"Fullmetal!" Roy growled.

Sheska sort of laughed. Winry had told her at least a thousand times of Ed doing this kind of thing, then either turning back up in the place you'd least expect him, or the place he was originally missing from.

Roy noticed Sheska's giggle and smiled.

The door flipped open. Riza walked in, a worried look on her face. Sheska stepped aside as Riza walked over to Roy. She leaned over and wispered in Roy's ear.

"Get Fullmetal, now." Roy commanded.

Riza nodded as she looked out the open window, noting Ed's absense. She went over to the windowseal and lept out it. Roy tapped Sheska's shoulder and left the room. Sheska took it as a signal and folowed. Roy went streight to his office and threw open the door. Sheska stood at the doorway. Roy tore open his desk drawers, getting his white gloves and slipping them on.

"S-Sir..." Sheska stuttered, once again moving out of Roy's way.

Roy turned. "Yes?" He kept walking angerly. He knew his answer just by looking in her eyes. "Stay here. Call out all soliders."

Sheska nodded.

Rage slid to the ground, grunting.

Envy laughed as he lept away. "Get up, Kid! Put up a fight!" He taunted.

Rage stood, calling out a shard of power. His hands grew hot as they turned from skin to scales. A fire burned around his hands as he charged at Envy.

Envy dodged the fist blow and was stupid enough to catch the second one. Rage made his hand blaze, burning Envy's. Envy lept away again, growling.

"Gah! You fight just like that stupid Mustang guy!" Envy scowled. "Why is it you see that fire is the only way to fight? I like that Fullmetal twirp better than you or Mustang!"

"F... Fullmeh.... Metal...?" Rage wispered to himself, shaking his head.

Envy saw an opening and charged. He punched. Rage dodged and kicked. Envy grabbed Rage's foot, flipping him into the air. Rage twisted around, causing Envy's wrist to turn to a painful point. Envy let go for a split second. Rage grabbed his own wrist, cocking his elbow down. As Envy fussed with his hurting wrist, Rage pounded him down, his elbow going into the crook of Envy's neck. Envy shouted out.

"Envy! Why are you letting this kid beat you?" Pride yelled.

"Why don't you come over here and _help _me if you don't like the way I fight?!?!" Envy yelled.

Pride sighed. "I might as well get in some target practice..." He started running at Envy.

Envy squirmed away from Rage. Rage screamed as he felt a sudden sting to his ribs. Pride slowly slid his sword out of Rage's flesh.

_When did he draw his sword?!? _Rage yelled at himself inside his mind, leaping back. Blood squirted out of the wound. Rage made his right hand go up in flames and he pressed it to the wound. The burnt skin covered it, for now.

Envy ran at Rage. Rage dodged Envy's first kick and caught his second one, but Envy leaped back, so Rage fell down. Envy stuck one foot on Rage's chest, pinning him down.

"Ohh, Pride... Come finnish the kid for me? I just don't have the heart to spill his blood. My hands will remain unstained of Elric blood, unless it's the Fullmetal twirp's." Envy sighed, desgusted.

"Envy, Envy, Envy... You have grown a soft spot... For what? This mere _human_?" Pride examined his sword, allready stained with blood. "Surely my skills could be used for something worth more than a _human _life-"

"Shut up!" Rage exclaimed. "You guys are no better than humans! You guys are no better than the rest! So shut up!"

Pride smiled. Envy pushed down harder, snapping one of Rage's ribs.

"How about _you _shut it, fool. I, frankly, am getting tired of you," Envy stepped down harder, making Rage cough and squeal at the sound of yet another broken rib. "And I don't like putting up with things that I don't like!" _Crack. _"Why don't you just hurry up," _Crack_. "And die!" _Crack crack. _

All of Rage's ribs had been shattered. Rage coughed and sputtered. There was a bright flash.

Rage stood up then. He had no injuries, and no enimies. He, instead, was looking into the eye of a big, black gate. "Uhh..." He stuttered.

A huge, purple eye opened inside of the gate. It peared out at him threw the darkness of what was within the gate. "Alphonse..." A dark voice hissed. "You have not gained your memory back?" It asked.

Rage shook his head. "I... I just want togo back!" He cried, confused.

"I shal give you one more piece of knowalge... But... In return... It shal be even harder to find 'The Truth'." A huge bolt of white static charged into Rage.

Pictures flashed threw his head. One, of a blonde boy. More of that boy. His name. His age. His clothes. His features. The love that bonded Rage and the boy. The bond between Ed and Al.

**-, or **_**Rage**_**, and his memory back together? Will this crucial piece of information about Rage's brother bring Edward to his younger brother's rescue? Who knows. Not even I. Please excuse the few spelling errors within this story... For nobody's perfect. Here's just something I wanted to include. =) **

**~My favorite quote of the FMA manga series, Volume 14, quoted by: **_**Father**_**, requoted by me~ **

**"**_**If one sees an insect on the floor, does one see it crawling and call it a fool? Than why shal I call you humans fools? No, insects are so beheath you that you simply do not notice them, because you harness much more power than they ever could have. They are not fools for being weak. We are just too better for them. It's the same way I feel about you humans.**_**" **

**Harsh, huh? Well... I just kind of liked it, and it stuck, so... Sorry for those who don't like it. Sorry for those who can be such jerks as to never saying a complement... Not that I know any! I'm just saying... Please don't be rude, is all. Please don't comment just to argue. I'm young, I make mistakes, and I really am trying hard on this story. If you don't like it, instead of commenting really rude, please just say one of your ****nicer**** concerns, and stop reading. I thank those of you, mostly Flame(you know who you are- the one I'm dedicating this to!), for being nice. Thanks, Flame! (if I may call you that) **


	4. Remember, Remember

**Hey, guys! This is me, DragonsRuleYourDreams12, posting the third chapter! Whoo-Hoo! Or, is this the fourth? I dunno. Anyway, here you go! **

**Disclaimer: There once was an old man with only a net. A butterfly net. He saw a rare butterfly flutter past him: It's wings painted black, blue, and red. Written on the insect was this: Prouductions of FMA. The poor old man tryed to catch it, but it flew too fast. There you go. That old man, representing me(not in real life, but, you know), loosing all chances of ever owning such an awesome company. ****Therefor, I do not own it. Happy? **

Rage opened his eyes. Envy stood still, his foot still on Rage's chest.

"Answer me!" Envy demanded, putting all his weight on Rage's chest as he kicked poor Rage in the side with his free foot. Rage yelped out again, exactly the answer Envy was looking for.

_"BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!" _Rage yelled as hard as his lungs would let him, piledriving threw the pain of six broken ribs and huge gashes.

Ed ran in the cold night. He halted to a stop. A faint shout rang threw his head. The sound of somebody calling him 'Brother'. The sound of his dear brother in pain. _"ALPHONSE!!!!!!!" _Ed yelled in reply, running harder than he ever had before.

The cold air whistled threw the teen's blonde hair, stinging his skin. Then, out of the bliss of a silent night, a tearing sound rippled threw Ed's ears. Ed felt his left leg buckle. He skidded to a halt. "Crap!" Ed muttered, putting down his hand so momentum wouldn't teeter him over.

"Fullmetal, I swear." A voice scolded him.

Ed noted a shadow aproach him, one he knew. "Colonel." He spat.

"Ed!" Another voice came from behind Roy Mustang, one higher and a lot more angry.

Ed jumped at the sound of this voice. He shuddered, knowing he was going to get a beating, even if he didn't do anything. "Now, Winry..." Ed stuttered.

"You idiot!" Said Winry, holding up her hand. She smacked Ed.

Roy put a hand on Winry's shoulder. "Now, now, Ms. Rockbell, no need for that just yet. Fullmetal," Roy looked down at Ed.

"WHAT?!? WINRY SMACKS ME AND YOU SHOOT ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Ed yelled, angerly.

Roy sighed and narrowed his gaze. "I had to. You wern't hearing any of our calls. And you were running so fast, it was basicly the only way to stop you."

Ed attempted to stand, but Winry stopped him. She pulled up his pant leg and exaimened the wound.

Ed sighed "At least you knew where to hit it in the leg not to do serious damage. If you didn't, I would've had to smack you."

"Is that any way to talk to your superior?" Roy streightened his jacket.

"Superior? Is that was you call it? Well, I don't. In fact," Ed reached into his pocket and pulled out his silver watch. It clanked when he threw it agenst the cold, hard ground. "I don't think you're anything to me anymore! I'm tired of this! If I wasn't a Dog of the Millitary, I wouldn't have even met these stupid homunculi! If I didn't meet them, my brother would still be by my side, don't you think?!?" Ed growled.

"You talk as if it's _our _fault that you two disobeyed the most important rule in alchemy! You two have been trailed by them before your brother and you replaced your bodies, and you still are! And it was your brother's choice to run off! Not the millitary's! So stop being stupid and put that watch back in your pocket!" Roy yelled.

Ed stood and looked Roy in the eye. "Listen here, colonel Mustang. My brother means more to me than any stupid watch. Than any stupid position I am in the millitary. He means more than the entire millitary itself! And you think that I'd sit back and listen to you _lie _about him? Threaten to kill him? No! So take this stupid watch back and keep it, because I could care less what you want anymore!" Ed bent down and picked up the watch. He showed it to Roy and dropped it at his feet. "Stop trying to do anything about it. It's me they want. Not Al. It's another ploy to get me there. I know it. But Al's the one suffering because of me. He could be dead," Ed choked on the word. "Or severly beaten. I don't know. But I have to get there. So keep it in, _Roy_, because that'll be my last report. Goodbye." Ed started walking away.

Rage colapsed on the floor.

Envy ran at him, kicking him in the gut. He kicked over and ovar again, not once letting up. "Die! Die!" Envy chanted with each kick.

Rage coughed and spat out blood. Envy reached down and grabbed Rage's wrist, twisting it until it made an efficent _crack_. Rage cried out again, but his sowrds started to slurr as his chest drew more and more pain. His throat ached from his previous screams and shouts.

Rage knew he couldn't call out for his brother again. It had taken too much effort to mouth the word, much less scream it as loud as he did.

Envy stopped. "C'mon, kid! You're getting blood all over the floor! Just hurry up and fall dead instead of making me work so hard..."

"If... If... You... Want... Me... Dead... You... Stab... Sword..." Rage drew in quick breaths, since his breathing had become severly limited.

Envy cocked his head at the short answer. He didn't know exactly what Rage ment, and probably never would. Envy walked over and kicked at Rage more, but grew bored with the task. He backed off. "Sorry, Pride, just can't. I just can't find my way to finnish the task."

Rage felt a tear dribble down his cheek. The pain surging threw his body was too much, along with the brother he longed so much to be with.

Pride walked over and chained Rage to a wall. He set a scrap of bread and a dish of water on the floor just out of Rage's reach. "Torture is the best revenge." Pride laughed as he walked away.

More tears fell down Rage's cheeks.

There was a loud crash. Rage turned his head slightly to see that a wall was knocked down. "I... I'm... Not... Rage... Anymore..." Rage threw out his name. He accepted the name 'Alphonse' again.

Ed ran in the room, calling out Al's name. He soon saw his brother agenst the wall. Millitary officers pilled in the room. Ed ran over to Al. He saw all the cuts, brusies, gashes, and the tear tracks. Ed felt desgusted with himself for not finding Al sooner.

"Al... Are... Are you in there?" Ed asked, nudging his younger brother. Ed clapped his hands and broke the chain.

Al fell forward, sobbing, clinging to Ed. He tried not to cry, but it was the sight of his brother that brought on the tears, not the pain. "B... Brother... I... I..." He tried to manage over the sobs.

"Al... I'm... I'm..." Ed couldn't find anything to say. He just put a hand on Al's back.

Roy was the first to Ed. Roy looked at Al, who was covered in deathly injuries.

Roy walked to another officer to tell him what to do.

Ed held his brother close. Alex Louis Armstrong barged threw the gape in the wall and made his way to Ed.

"Edward, I'll be taking Alphonse now. We must get him into the hospital." Armstrong offered.

"No! Rage!" A voice called out.

Ed looked up. "Wrath..." He spat.

Wrath growled. "What have you done to Rage?" He comanded.

Al found the strength to stand, but was limping badly. He limped over to Wrath. "I... I'm sorry..." Al wheezed. "I... I must go, Wrath... Forgive me... And let... Let me go..."

Wrath stood, wide-eyed, but looked down to the floor and nodded. "O... Okay... But... It does mean... We can't be friends... You know that, right?" He looked up.

Al nodded and smiled weakly. He placed a hand on Wrath's shoulder. "Thank you..." Al fell back.

Ed caught him as the room blackened.

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_There was a scream. Al turned to his left, then his right. People surrounded him. Voices screamed and shouted, screams he knew and screams he didn't. Blood filled the floor. Al began running. The blood started to lick up and grab his legs, pulling him down. The blood was at his neck, taunting his life. Alphonse screamed, but his call remained unaswered. Al tried to move his arms, but they were as heavy as cement blocks. One tear fell down Al's eye, dropping into the blood..._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Al opened his eyes. He gasped and sat up, trying to regain his breath. He was in a bed with white sheets. Al looked around the room. It looked as if it was a hospital room. Al sighed deeply, rubbing his head. He discovered his wounds had been treeted and wrapped. What had happened flashed threw his head, reminding him of everything he had gone threw.

"B... Brother?" Al asked gently and quietly. Nobody was in the room with him. Al looked behind him. There was a window.

His room was obvously on the second or third level, since he had a view of the entire town. It was still night out, the stars gleaming in the blue-black sky, the street lamps glowing their cast of yellow across the sidewalks. Al sighed again, rubbing his eyes.

"Brother?" Al called a little louder. Still no answer. Al gently tore the blankets off his legs and started to stand, but fell to one knee with a cumsy 'oof'. Al smiled and quietly laughed at his stumble, but found his way up again. He limped to his door and opened it. It creaked loudly as he turned the knob, at which he jumped at, then winced at the slow creak, hoping not to desturb anyone in the rooms neighboring him.

Al peeked out the door to see a blonde teenager, asleep, in the chair just outside his door. Next to him was a blonde girl, just about the same age, also asleep.

"Brother?" Al asked, hoping somebody would answer.

The blonde boy groaned a bit, his head jerking but sliding back down to his other shoulder. He was still asleep. Al squeezed threw the door, but tripped and fell again, this time calling out.

The blonde girl opened her eyes and she mumbled to herself. She saw Al, trying to get up.

"Al!" She cried happily, smiling. She ran to the boy, bumping the blonde teen beside her.

The blonde boy woke, and shook his head.

"Winry... What on earth... Are you doing?" He asked.

Winry's eyes lit up upon the sight of Al. Ed got up and ran to Winry.

Al got to a seated position, looking at Ed.

"Brother... What... What happened? Why is Winry here?" He asked.

"Al..." Ed helped Al up to his feet and walked him into his room and onto his bed.

The two brothers looked out at the town. Ed placed a hand on Al's shoulder as they both gazed up at the sky.

"We're not lost anymore, Al. We're here."

"We're home." The two brothers said in unison.


	5. Scar

**So... How many of you thought that chapter 4 was the last chapter? C'mon, c'mon, don't be shy, give me a show of hands. *looks across crowd of hands raised high into the air, nods, then raises own hand* Yeah, me too, believe it or not. The I got this new idea, and... THE SHOW MUST GO ON! **

**Disclaimer: One day, I was watching a cloud, and a cupon to own FMA fell out of it. I chased after, but my poor little cupon fell into a stream... Being carried off and found again by the present owner of FMA. ****Thus, I do not own such an amazing manga or anime. **

Al fell back asleep, a warm spot deep in his heart. Ed watched Al fall asleep, some comphort coming to him upon the gaze of his little brother back in his own hands.

Ed let out a relaxing sigh, putting his hands on his hips.

Winry tapped on Al's door, poking her head in. "Ed," She called. "The Colonel wants you."

Ed nodded, taking one last glance at Al before heading down the hall to Roy's office. He shoved his hands in his pockets with a loud grunt. He was going to get chewed out, for sure, about not being responsable, about his ignorance, or some other stupid crap that Roy could think of. He tapped his knuckles on Roy's office door, three loud knocks echoing off the holow wooden door.

There was a sigh from inside the room and some rustling of a creaking chair and some paperwork before the door clicked open. Roy stood at the entrence, yawning, then noticing Ed was the visitor.

"Oh, Fullmetal..." He motioned for Ed to come in and take a seat while he went back to his desk. "You do know why I called you in here, right?" Roy put his fist under his chin, setting his elbow on the desk.

"Lemmie' guess, you wanna' tell me how I was so stupid to use my millitary forces to save Al?" Ed put his chin in his open hand, his elbow sitting on his knee.

"I could, I could, and it would be fun and suprising to see your reaction, but, seeing as you allready know the drill, I guess I won't." Roy smiled.

Ed rolled his eyes. "Then why are you even waisting our time? I could be with Al and Winry, and you could be doing your paperwork." Ed smiled.

Roy raised a brow, suprised to see Ed's imedeate and clever comeback. "I do suppose you're partially right, but it's not all I want to say." He began to thumb threw a stack of paper.

Ed took his chin off his hand, crossing his arms. He leaned forward, trying to see what the Colonel was fishing for.

Roy pulled a paper out of the stack somewhere close to the bottom as he reached into his pocket. He tossed the object at Ed and handed him the paper.

Ed caught the object, finding out that it was his silver watch.

"Document XV, page 49, paragraph 14." Roy recited, leaning back in his chair.

Ed skimmed threw the paragraph, looking for anything of importance. "So, what? I don't see why you're even showing this to me." He threw it back down on the Colonel's desk.

Roy reached for it and held it in his lap, also reading it over. He raised his gaze and met Ed's, a sturdy fear, yet burn in his eyes. "You don't get my point, do you?"

"No! If I did know why you're making me read some stupid document, you really think I'd be asking about it?!" Ed groaned hastily.

"Fullmetal, it's about you. You and your brother."

Ed's eyes widened. "Hu... Huh?"

"Your brother knows about Homunculi. He has vital information. He made such chaos with so much power. We need to take him into the lab for tests."

"No way, Colonel. Sorry, but I gotta' go." Ed got up and started his way to the door.

Roy put out a hand. "Fullmetal... We're getting him, be it with your help or plain old force." He poked the paper.

Ed spat at him and left, trotting down the hall to Al's room. He opened his door to see his sick younger brother gazing out the open window, feeling the cold breeze of the night.

Ed tapped on Al's shoulder.

"Wha-huh?" Al turned.

"Hey, get back in bed. You'll catch a cold."

Al sniffled and looked down. "I still don't remember everything. A few things are still blank, Brother. What'll I do?"

"Get to bed. I'll take care of everything, just go to bed." Ed helped Al into his bed.

Al closed his eyes, slipping his head under the covers. He soon fell into a deep sleep. But it wasn't a bright dream. It was full of demons, pain, blood... And that same figure from before, his... His mother, the truth... And himself.

Al woke again panting, sweat pouring down his face. "Brother!" Al called out.

Ed was asleep in a chair just beside Al's bed. He woke with a snap.

Al was shaking. Ed leaned over and grabbed his shoulders.

"Brother... Please..." Al clung to him, shaking and sobbing.

Ed was confused, but concerned for the younger brother. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

Al shook his head. "No... They wanted to hurt me, Brother, they said they wanted my blood. _My blood!_" He was sobbing uncontrolably now.

Ed stroked the younger's hair. "Al... Who was it?"

"T... The... The shadows... The big gate with the mean eyes...Those m-monsters that want _m-me_!"

Ed's eyes widened. "Don't lie to me, Al. The 'Big Gate'?" Ed questioned, now serious.

"Ye... Yeh... Yes..." Al wiped his eyes, taking in deep breaths. "There was a bi... Big gate with eyes and these... These people..." He sniffled, rubbing his eyes.

Ed nodded. "It was just a bad dream." He lied. "If you want, I'll stay awake and watch. So that nobody comes."

Ed knew that younger people, mostly kids, liked to be praised and comphorted when they were sick or frightened. He still saw his brother as a child, where Ed had matured enough, emotonally, to be an adult. He stroked Al's hair another time, whispering and laying him back into his bed.

Winry stared at them with the door cracked slightly, tears streaking down her face because of the pain the brother was undergoing.

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Light shined threw the window. Al woke and yawned. He looked around. Brother, as always, was gone.

Al sat up, stood, and walked down the hall to the lunch room, where they were serving toast and cerial. Al spotted Ed, sitting by Winry, but decided to get a breath of fresh air first.

He walked out the front door and stood by a window, smiling up at the sun. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him.

A man with a scar on his face stood in his way. The scar was an 'X' across his face.

Al trembled.

"Alphonse Elric?" He asked.

Al nodded shakily.

"You have commited a great sin. Please say your prayers as I take from you what you took from another." The man grabbed Al's right hand.

A huge, red bolt of energy zapped into the air as Al screamed at the top of his lungs. Blood squirted to the sidewalk as the man glared down at him.

"I think that's enough." He scowled.

The doors flew open and Ed was at Al's feet. He growled up at him, kicking him in the side. The man noticed other people were coming. He fled the scene, so much as looking back.

Ed turned to Al.

Al screamed and shouted out, tears falling down his face. His entire right hand had been torn apart, exploded by the laws of that man's alchemy.

Ed saw it and nearly buckled, but he scooped up his brother and ran inside.

Al was taken away by a team of doctors.

Ed waited outside the E.R. room and Winry sat beside him.

"D... Do you think...?" She asked.

"Think? What else to do?" Ed looked down. He knew he shouldn't have left Al for as much as a meal. His brother was being chased after, targeted by others.

The doors clicked open. A docter turned to Ed.

"Do you look after him?" He asked.

"Yes. How is he?" Ed asked.

"Well, as you know... This boy... His hand. Compleatly destroyed to the wrist. It wasn't fixable, to any point, so we... Amputated it. I am so sorry." The doctor turned away.

Ed clenched his teeth. He looked at Winry.

"Look, I know I can't pay you in full, but, please..." He asked.

"I don't want any money. It wasn't your fault. I'll do it." Winry agreed.

Ed nodded and looked into the window.

His brother, sitting in that white death bed, huffing, scared, in pain, crying... Ed never wanted anything like this.


	6. Madam Fate

**Hey guys! I would like to reccomend my friends colorfulquirkcuteanimefan and yuki-neechan as great authors. yuki-neechan has an awesome story for Inuyasha out that I, presonally, love, and colorfulquirkcuteanimefan has a very, very, very good story for FMA out, also. We're friends! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own not FMA, nor yuki-neechan, or colorfulquirkcuteanimefan. No. I'm not a meanie. Sure, I ****wish I owned FMA, (T-T) but I do not. **

Al opened his eyes. He grunted and managed to sit up as a stabbing pain coursed threw his entire body, mostly his right hand. He looked at it to see a stumped wrist wrapped in white. He jumped back, having forgot the man with the 'X' on his face.

He took in a deep breath, remembering. Ed sat just outside, waiting.

"Br... Brother?" He called.

Ed didn't move, so Al thought he handn't heard him.

"Ed... Ed?" Al called.

Ed turned this time, Winry shortly after. He got up and hurried into the room.

"Al... How... How are you?" Ed asked.

"Umm... Okay..." Al looked down, gripping the sheets. Winry was holding something in her hand.

Al strained to see it. She grabbed his arm and held an auto-mail hand to the stub.

"Do you like the fit?" She asked.

Al stared at it. "For... What?" He asked.

"It'll be your replacement hand. It works just like it, and the rehbillitation should only be a a few months." She added. "Not that long, since this model is so simple."

Al swallowed hard. He looked at Ed.

"It's the best choice for you." Ed said, forcing a smile.

"Umm... Sure..." Al decided.

The injection was shot into his hand.

Ed waited outside the room for an hour as Winry and her grandmother worked silently.

Roy came up to Ed. "Alphonse... Is now going to become a user of auto-mail?"

"Yes..." Ed buried his face in his hands. "And the worst part of it all is... It's all my fault...!" His voice was starting to crack.

"Be strong, Edward." Roy commanded.

Al huffed as they worked.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Winry asked, holding her wrench just above the bolt to connect the nerves of his hand and the auto-mail.

"Winry, step back." The grandmother commanded.

"What? Why?" Winry asked.

"If you can't believe in Al to get through this, then you don't have to work on it."

Winry smiled. "I guess..." She twisted the wrench. A loud screach came from Al. "He will be able to work with it."

Al felt sick as everything went black.

"And how do you think I can't feel like this?" Ed sobbed.

"I felt like this when Hughes died. Look, Al's fitted with his new hand." Roy pointed out, sounding happy. He noticed Ed's expression didn't change. "You basicly take care of him. Be strong, if you cry, he'll cry."

Ed nodded, forcing the tears back.

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Sloth stared out the window of her small room. Wrath was perched on a dresser, and Envy and Lust sat on a bed.

"What's so wrong?" Envy asked.

"I... Hey, look." She said, stepping out of the way.

Lust stood and looked out the window, noticing a large wodden wagon wheeling up the road. A woman in a silky purple gown was driving the wagon.

Wrath ran over to Sloth. "Who is it, Mommy?" He asked.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, Wrath, dear." Sloth answered, stroking his hair.

"Probably some old crystal-ball reading--" Envy started before getting inturupted by Wrath.

"Crystal ball!" Wrath exclaimed like that of a child at a candy store. "Oooh, oooh! I wanna' see the crystal ball!" He tugged on Sloth's dress.

The woman stepped out of her wagon and aproached the small abandoned house. She held her fist in front of the door, ready to knock, when Wrath ripped it open.

Sloth grabbed him and pulled him back. "Sorry, Ma'am. My, err... _Child _saw you and got exited." She apologised.

"No, no, Dear, all is fine. I am a fortune-teller, Madam Fate, and I wanted to know if you knew of anything suspicious in the area." Madam Fate explained.

"Suspicious how, exactly?" Sloth asked. Wrath was now still as he stood behind his 'mother'.

"I... I read the future. In it was a boy... A boy and his brother. Something tragic is going to happen, and I must get to them. I _must_." Madam Fate pleaded.

"A boy?" Wrath asked. "Did he hang around a blonde girl and a short blonde boy? Was his hair aburn colored?"

Sloth turned and scowled at Wrath.

"Yes!" The madam exclaimed. "How did you know?" Her voice was sharp.

"I... I've seen him. He's back there. In Resembool." Sloth finished.

"Thank you, dear. Here, take this token of my gratatude." Madam Fate bowed, setting a small crystal in Wrath's hands. Wrath stared at it, taking it back to Envy and Lust.

Sloth nodded. "Please tell me..." Her voice was a lot like that of Trisha Elric's. "That those boys are going to be okay."

The Madam nodded. "If it is fate that Madam can seal, than it is fate Madam will seal."

"Is that some sort of a slogan?" Sloth chuckled.

"It is how it is when Madam Fate is who it is." Madam Fate smiled. Her frail hand waved as she scurried to her wagon.

Sloth nodded again and walked back to her room.

Envy was holding the crystal Wrath had showed him. "Piece of junk." He muttered, tossing it to the floor.

Wrath hurried to pick it up. He held it in his hands. It felt warm to him. Relaxing. Reassuring.

"Who was the old lady?" Envy asked as Sloth entered the room.

"Madam Fate." Sloth answered, turning her attention to Wrath, who seemed overjoyed at his new belonging.

"Madam Fate, huh?" Lust repeated. She felt the words roll off her tounge. "Mystical."

"Mystical my foot." Envy scoffed. "More like hysterical."

"I don't see you laughing!" Wrath defended as he sat by Sloth.

"She's a fake. Madam Fake." Envy corrected, proving his point.

"No, she's cool!" Wrath hissed.

"Yeah yeah..." Envy looked back at Sloth. "So, what did the old fart want, anyway?"

"She... Just was taking a survey." Sloth looked at Wrath with the expression of "play along".

"And that's why Wrath got the rock?" Envy glarred at Wrath.

"Yeah!" Wrath scowled, holding the crystal tighter.

"Yes. She just wanted to know if there was any open land on Resembool's main road so she could open up shop. I doubt she's going to get any buisness." Sloth looked out the window as if she was still there.

"And you answered and Wrath got that rock?" Envy asked.

"Why do you care so much about that rock?" Lust questioned, irritated with Envy's constant ramble about the crystal.

"God, is this what I get for asking a question around here?" Envy turned his head and crossed his arms.

"Quit pouting." Sloth warned.

"Mommy, what are we going to do next? Father hasn't given us any orders in a while." Wrath asked.

"Hrmm... Lust, do you have any ideas?" Sloth turned the question to Lust.

"Sorry, I was going to go to Resembool after this mysterious 'Madam Fate'. I just think she's not as she says she is." Lust apologised.

"What's not to believe about an old lady trying to make a living?" Envy turned back and put his hands behind him as he sat on the dresser. He crossed his legs and attempted to blow a piece of green hair out of his face.

"You really think some old woman would come knocking at an abandoned house's door _just _to ask about a plot of land?" Lust defended, frowning.

"Well, it _does _show you the kind of choices _humans _make. Rather stupid, eh?" Envy spat out the words.

"Hmm... Yes, I suppose. I still plan on going, though." Lust looked back at the door.

"Any reason for that?" Wrath wondered, wanting to tag along.

"To check up on the Fullmetal kid and his brother. I want to know where they are. Perhaps learn of there whereabouts, plan something as I go along. I'm just fishing for something to do, really." Lust admitted.

Envy nodded. "Yeah, I should go ahead and look around. We need antoher town similar to the size of Ishbal."

Wrath cocked his head. "We should wait a bit before trying another philospihers stone."

Sloth sat, wide-eyed. _Is this what she was talking about? _She thought. _Are they going to make a stone out of the Elric brothers? _


	7. Goodbye, Riza

**Hey, peoples! This chapter might be a little weird, since I was listening to **_**London Bridge **_**by **_**Fergie**_**... And other songs by her. It might also be a little short, seeing I have only about an hour to write it... Anyway, this... I don't know if this story has spoilers. I think it might, seeing as it **_**does **_**have things from episode 51 in it...Oh, by the way, if it does, you kind of have to know a bit about FMA to get it, or you'll be wondering. If you are, just PM me and I'll answer any questions. Okay? :) Anywho, I tell you right now, in the last chapter, that **_**WASN'T**_** Elricest! (Or however that was spelled...) It was pure brotherly love, when Ed was crying, he was feeling guilty for everything that's been happening to Al. And it **_**WASN'T**_** Roy/Ed! I hate those pairings, I'll **_**NEVER**_** like Yoai. I might concider reading it, maybe, but I'll never like it. Sorry, I just had to clear that up, for those that concidered commenting on it. I've avoided flames this far, I would like to keep it that way, please! But, there **_**are **_**those that insist flaming, so... I don't like to flame other people. I think it's mean. Anyway, sorry for that, just had to say it. Thanks for reading so far! And a special thanks to the folowing people for reviewing: **

_**PyrusBlaikeRider **_

_**colorfulquirkcuteanimefan**_

_**yuki-neechan **_

_**Flameses **_

**Thanks a bunch, guys! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any names stated above, or the artist, or the song tital, or FMA. I WILL **_**NEVER**_**OWN ROY/ED OR ELRICEST!!! **_**NNNNEEEEEVVVVVEEEEERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **_

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Ed paced back and forth in front of Al's room. Winry and her grandmother had long since left to go home; Al had been fitted with his new auto-mail hand. Ed's stomach rumbled as he waited. He made himself stay right there in the hall, he wasn't going to go eat unless his little brother was sitting right by his side.

Riza Hawkeye walked past Ed for the first time that morning. She wore her blue millitary uniform as if it was regular clothes- Not as proud of it as Colonel Mustang was, and not ashamed of it as Edward was.

Riza had her hand on her gun's holster, fingering the leather strap and smooth black handle. She often checked to see if it was there, it made her feel better that she could protect anybody at the ease of just reaching behind her.

"Good morning, Edward. Any news?" She asked, having been informed by Mustang of Al's condition.

"No, not yet..." Ed muttered sheepishly. Riza had just sounded a lot like his mother, the same tone of worry in her voice that Trisha would've always had for her sons. The same tone of worry that Ed tried so very hard to keep buried in his throat.

"I see... I can sit in your place. I know you've been up all night, you must be hungry." Riza smiled, pulling both hands to her sides.

"No thanks. I'd like to eat with Al, if that's okay. When I had auto-mail... And he was just a suit of armor... He would always insist sitting by me, bringing me my meals, making sure the cheifs would have some sort of soda or juice instead of milk..." Ed smiled and laughed a bit. "He would always be right there. He watched over me at night- Not just because he couldn't sleep, but he made sure I was okay. I've got to be the big brother and be there for him." Ed said, smiling and plopping down in a chair.

Riza nodded and sat beside him. "Is it at least okay if I sit by you?" She said, also sitting by him.

Ed nodded, fingering the silver watch in his pocket. The constant reminder of _that day_...

Riza broke the thought. "You know..." She looked to Ed. "What Al really thought about you two bringing your mother back, right?"

"Nuh... No... He never... Never discussed the subject with me, really." Ed sighed, looking at the floor.

"He said he thought that the whole thing was..." Riza started.

"Was what?" Ed asked, wanting to know. He looked up at Riza.

"_Selfish_..." Riza sighed.

Ed's eyes shook.

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_Al sat in a chair just outside of Ed's hospital room. His armor clanked with the slightest movement. _

_Riza aproached him and sat beside him. _

_"Umm, Ms. Riza?" Al asked, looking at Riza. _

_"Yes?" She answered, ever go gently. _

_"When Big Brother and me... When we tried to bring back Mom..." His voice cracked. _

_Riza listened intently. _

_"I thought we were acting so... So selfishly. Mom was sick almost all the time, and I know it must've hurt, so us trying to bring her back... Somewhere along the line, if we were sucessfull, that same sickness would've came back. She would've had to deal with that same pain again, and so would we... It's better off this way. I don't like to see Mom or Ed cry. I know Big Brother didn't like to see me cry, so I'm happy I'm a suit of armor. I can't be hurt. I can't cry. I'm sure Brother is happy that he doesn't have to worry about my health and such- Right now, anyway." _

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Ed stared at the floor. "Al was so... So..." He stuttered.

Riza kept her gaze locked at Edward, looking at his right arm. She was so used to it being auto-mail, and now Alphonse had it.

"So _right_. I can't believe I was so _stupid _as to let that slip threw my mind!" Ed scowled, putting a hand up to his head.

"Right about you being happy not to see him cry anymore?" Riza questioned. Her eyes were kind- One wouldn't ever guess that she was involved in millitary buisness of any type.

"I suppose. I could never see him smile when he was like that... I could never see him happy, his eyes always had that same stare- Even though I could tell he was happy. Al isn't any better off human than he was armor." Ed put his face in his hands again.

"Please don't talk like that, Big Brother. You know it's a lie, and Mom always told us never to lie." The innocent voice replied.

"You shouldn't be up." Riza noted, looking at Al.

"I know..." Al's voice was almost like it was fake.

Ed's expression turned to a frown. "You're not Al." He spat.

"Oh? Really? What was it that gave me away?" The voice said smugly, the tone changing into that of Envy's.

"Envy!" Ed hollared, whipping around.

Envy looked back to Al's room, where Lust had grabbed him and had an extended nail inches away from his throat.

Ed looked down at his hands. He just couldn't clap his hands with the same ease as he used to. Then he remembered his watch. Not only the watch, but the contents. He stuffed his hand into his pocket.

Envy had seen it. "What are you planning to do, runt?" He asked.

"Nothing," Ed smiled. He touched the center of the watch. It snapped open and a smaller, what seemed like a watch with a chain, fell out. There were three blue stones in it.

"Nothing," Ed repeated as Envy kept his gaze locked on Ed. Ed looked at Al and gave him a look as if to tell him to cry out, to distract Envy.

Al had seen the look and slightly nodded. He squealed loudly when Lust had pressed her nail closer to his throat.

Sure enough, Envy turned for a second to look at Al.

Ed threw the smaller chained watch at lust, which hit her and made her cry out and fall back. Riza then took action and grabbed her gun quicker than anything. She shot a few bullets at Envy, which gave Al a few seconds to squirm his way to Ed.

Riza helped Al out of the way. She knew where to take him and started running. She draped his arm around her neck and acted like a crutch as they made their way to Mustang's office.

Riza saw a shadow pass her and shot a few bullets at it. Instead, her gun was yanked out of her hand and absorbed by none other than Wrath.

"Heh heh..." Wrath laughed. He fired some bulets at Riza, who yelped when it hit her leg and sent her to the ground.

Wrath watched as a small pool of blood formed around Riza's leg. Al had mnaged to crawl a few feet away before Wrath was standing over him.

"Who's the better one now?" He asked, pointing his arm at Al, the arm that was now almost that of Riza's gun.

"I still think that wouldn't be you." Roy answered as he held his fingers, ready to snap them, inches away from Wrath's head.

Roy felt his feet become ice cold, which alerted him, making him snap his fingers. Wrath shouted out as the firey bolt missed his by a fraction of an inch. He made his hand shoot out a bullet, heading streight for Al.

Al screamed as he thought his last moment was before him.

A flash of blonde and blue was all there was left of her.


	8. Armor Again

Ed ran down the hall. He saw Roy, Wrath, and a limp figure on the floor. He ran to it, seeing Al cloaked in blood. Wrath slipped away.

Roy dropped to his knees. "Riza!" He shouted. His blood-stained glove fell limp to his side.

Ed flipped to Riza. Bullets lay buried deep within her flesh.

"Fullmetal, bring her back!" Roy yelled angerly. He grabbed Ed's shirt collar. "Bring her back!"

"You know I can't do that!" Ed spat, pulling away.

"But you've done it before!" Roy argued. "She hasn't been dead long, bring her from the gate!"

"And it took so much to! I can't do that again, her body would reject her soul!" Ed shook his head.

"Fullmetal, please..." Roy begged. "_Please_..." He had never felt so hepless before. Riza meaned the world to him, they were friends for life. She just _couldn't_ be dead.

Ed looked back to Al. Al's eyes were shaking.

Ed bit his lip.

Al looked up at Ed. "W... Why...? Brother, why is she dead? Why?" He asked as if he didn't know.

Ed couldn't answer. He didn't know the words to say.

"Why _her_ and not _me_?" He felt a few tears slip down his cheeks. Al managed to get up and run a few feet before colapsing again. He pounded his fists on the ground.

Roy kept his gaze locked on Riza's eyes. He reached over and grabbed her wrist. He knew he wouldn't feel a pulse. Her skin was still warm, still had color to it.

Ed went to a phone inside Mustang's office and called the Furher. He explained and was told to wait there. Help would come shortly.

Al pounded the ground harder.

Suddenly, he felt a hand grasp around his throat. It tightened, lifing him into the air.

Wrath laughed. "Alphonse, how would you like to help her?" Wrath asked.

"Let... Go..." Al coughed, tring to pull free.

Ed saw and tried to run to Al, but was stopped by Roy.

"If we make any moves, he'll kill your brother in an instant. He has the upper hand. Wait." Roy scolded.

Ed growled, but nodded. It was true.

"It's true, she hasn't been dead long. You can bring her back, Alponse, with my help. But you have to give something up, and I think you know all too well what I'm talking about." Wrath smerked, tighenting his grip.

"No, Al, don't do it!" Ed cautioned.

Al didn't respond right away. He coughed again and waited.

"Well...?" Wrath asked.

"Do... Do it..." Al took in a last breath.

Wrath clenched his fist as tight as he could and put his other hand to the back of Al's neck. He was holding a piece of metal.

The metal reacted and morped to Al.

There was a huge flash of white, and Al was at the gate again. He stared at it, the metal in his hand instead of his neck.

There was a voice. "What is it you want, human?" The voice hissed.

"Bring Riza back. In return... Take my body." Al spread his arms wide.

"And that metal? Does it become _your_ body?" The voice questioned.

"Birng it back! Put Riza in her body and put me back in my old one!" Al shouted, watching the gate slowly open.

Thousands of tiny black hands brought him in. He released the metal and it clanked to the floor.

"Such a trade." The voice sighed.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Riza slowly opened her eyes, feeling breath fill her lungs. Roy sat over her.

"Riza!" He shouted happily, bringing her close.

She looked around. Ed was leaning over something, something big and metal.

"Wake up!" Ed shouted. "Wake up!"

He shook the metal.

Two red orbs apeared. A small gasp came from it as it rose.

"B... Brother?" He asked, sitting up.

Ed hugged the suit of armor. He pulled the head-piece off and looked in. There was the transmutation circle, bounding Al to the suit of armor he had been stuck in for at least four years.


	9. Unwanted

**SNARF! Ha ha! ... Well, this'll be hard, transferring from comedy to drama... But I can do it! Duh duh da da! Lol! Anyway... Yesh, peoples, I be back. My computar went all pop, cack, broshy, BOOM! ... (It crashed on me) I've been procrastinating, and... Ha ha, this is the result... **

**Dedication(yup, I've got a special dedication to a people): For Ivory. She would've known how hard I worked on this, and would've been proud... I miss and love you. RIP, 6.12.09(June 12, 2009) **

**Disclaimer: One day, I was walking down the road, and some Japinese mad ran past me yelling "Woo-Hoo! I won the lottery! I think I'll start a new and very ****popular anime/manga!". I shuddered and walked away, only to find that same man had created FMA... (I never met him and, no, I don't own FMA) **

Al looked away. Ed put a hand on Al's newly-armored shoulder.

"Al..." Ed murmered softly.

Al lifted a hand, gaining a new sense of feeling. "This body..." He said.

Ed nodded. "I'll... I'll..." He couldn't finnish his sentence, seeing as those old words fit nowhere in the new puzzle lieing before them.

Al reached out and hugged Ed. "This feels just the same, no matter what, Big Brother."

"Al, tell me, what happened? I don't get it." Ed wondered.

Al nodded. "Remember Number 48?"

"But he was killed with his brother in labritory 5 when we were escaping, right?" Ed exclaimed.

"Wrong. To kill something bound to another thing, such as Number 66, Number 48, and me, you must rid it's source. Such as a human and it's heart, correct?"

Ed nodded.

"If the blood of a human is drawn, it doesn't mean the human dies, right? If you wipe away just the outer line of the transmutation circle, or stab it with a sword, it doesn't mean you're killing the person attached to it. It's basicly a hole in a piece of paper. The paper isn't ruined." Al gestured with his hand the motion of an imaginary dagger stabbing into a piece of metal with a downward sweep of his closed fist.

"So you're telling me Number 48 just did a good job of playing dead?" Ed put a hand on his chin as he crossed his legs.

"Exactly." Al's voice sounded as if it was smiling.

"Okay! So, Number 48 was alive. How does that relate you you, though?"

"Wrath must've cut his transmutation circle from the rest of his armor without killing him. He gave it to me as I entered the gate. It felt horrible, but I used him as the toll to bring Riza back."

"If she's back, what about your body?"

"I had to also put her back in her body, so I sacrificed mine. My soul, however, was not taken with it, luckily. Wrath, having caused it, sacrificed one of his lives of the philosiphers stone inside him to put me into this metalic body. Aparently, it was stuck at the gate, unable to be taken into it. It was even greater luck that nobody has attempted human transmuatation during the period of me being human." Al sounded relieved.

"It's amazing we've been to the gate twice and survived. But you... Three times and even reserecting another human into exestance... It's amazing, Al." Ed's eyes welled up. Too many times had he ventured too close to loosing all he had. Yet two teenagers... Doing something even grown men couldn't do... _Amazing_ was the only word to explain it.

"Brother..." Al looked up.

"Yeah?" Ed smiled.

"Can we go home?" Al sounded just like a little kid.

"Sure." Ed stood.

Silence filled the halls, execpt for the _clank_ of armor, and the _clack_ of an auto-mail leg.

Riza settled into Roy's arms. Her emotions couldn't harden into the sturdy Hawkeye she always was, but she couldn't melt onto Roy, either.

"I died." She said smoothly.

"I suppose there is somebody watching out for you." Roy agreed, just as calm.

"Is it not Alphonse?" Riza wondered, looking up.

"I could say it is not, but, I am in no mood to argue. I am just happy to have my subordanant back..." Roy's voice was just a little too creamy.

Riza breathed in a slow breath. She dropped her head onto Roy's chest, leaning agenst him. Roy didn't argue with it at all. He slowly moved his hand to her hair, smoothing it, and eventually removing the clip from her hair. She smiled and sat up.

"Roy... I am greatful that you care, but my thanks and time no longer belong to you." LT. Hawkeye said, sturdily.

"Does that mean I shal see you in my office with a stack of papers tomorrow morning?" Roy chortled sheepishly.

"Indeed it does." Riza laughed. She collected herself and stood.

Roy stood and folded his arms as he watched Riza walk to the double-doors that marked the exit of Central HQ.

Riza stopped just a few feet from the doors. She turned and placed a hand on her forehead. Roy nodded and mimicked her. Riza smiled warmly.

"Bring a pen, one with a truckload of ink at that. You have a lot of work to catch up on." She laughed harder, walking out the doors.

Roy gulped loudly and sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I do..."

* * *

Ed sat in bed, white sheets covering his legs.

Al sat beside him, silent.

"Al?"

"Yes, Ed?"

"I... I really hope we can find another way to get you back to normal."

"Me... Me too."

And Ed fell asleep, having restarted his journey. Little did poor Edward know what lie in his path...

Al, suddenly, felt something strange going on with his body. He felt his hands start to twist and warp, though they wern't. His eyesight blurred, and everything went black as his helmet fell off. As he came to again, about three hours later, he did not see a hotel room with his older brother lieing in the bed beside his. No, he saw a grey metal surrounding him, and a small, round opening. He moved to the opening, to feel his legs moving in unison with his arms. He scampered to Ed's bedside mirror to see his soul had been pulled into the body of an animal. A half crocidile, half lion creature... A _**chimera**_.

"How do you like your new body?" Hissed a voice.

"What?" Al stuttered.

Wrath was perched on the dresser by the door.

"Yeah. You see, I triggered something. When you passed out, I brought that body here. Your soul was being rejected by that armor. And this body was willing to execpt a host, so... There you are, Alphonse." Laughed Wrath.

Al lunged at Wrath, swinging his claws.

Wrath dodged and escaped threw the open window by Ed. Al could still hear that evil laughter ringing in his ears.

Al shook Ed awake. "Brother..." His voice was shaking.

Ed woke with ease, but screamed when he heard Al's voice and a chimera's body mixed.

"What have you done with my little brother?" Ed screamed, ready to clap his hands.

"It's me, Big Brother! Wait!" Al hollared back.

Ed stopped, his eyes narrowing. "If it really is... You..." Ed gulped. "Then prove it!"

"I was sitting here, beside you, when everything went back! I... I crawled out of my armor and looked in your mirror, and then... I was this! Well, Wrath was here, and he said he triggered it, and..." Al was frantic.

Ed's eyes shook. "I... I don't believe this." He said, reaching out for Al.

Al lowered his head. He was so ashamed of himself.

Ed got up and tied the suit of armor's loin-cloth around Al's neck, and scribbled the winged serpent mark onto it with pen. It matched what was on the back of his red coat. He put his hands on his hips and sighed. "Ha ha, what are they going to think? Winry's going to kill us..." Ed reared into a laugh.

Al laughed with him. Ed got back into bed and scooted over. Al sat on the ground, watching him. Ed pulled the covers into the air, revealing a free space. Al still sat on the ground. Ed patted the spot. Al still sat there, shivering.

"Get up here, you dork." Ed laughed.

Al smiled and nodded. He jumped up and settled in, for once, truely feeling the warmpth of Ed. (A/N: This is **not** Elricest, or however it's spelled, it's not! It's pure brotherly love! Got that?!?)

Ed smiled and put a hand on Al's head. He scruffled his fur. "Good night, Al." Ed murmered, rolling over.

"Good night, Big Brother." Al said warmly.

The two fell asleep, almost sharing the same dream.

Light hour came. Ed woke, yawning. He shook his drowzy younger brother awake and hopped out of bed. He stumbled to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffie. Ed sipped it loudly. "Who should we go to first?"

Al jumped out of bed and trotted over to Ed. He reared up on his hind legs, putting his paws on the counter.

Ed swatted him down. "Don't do that. It's bad for your legs." He said, taking another well-needed sip.

Al snorted at him, but flicked his lion-like tail. "I know! Winy would uderstand, and she'd be backup for when we tell Colonel Mustang!"

"Good idea. You're the first talking chimera with a brain." Ed laughed, sitting his cup down.

Al looked down. "I... Brother... Can you keep Tucker away from me, I... I mean... If we ever see him again?" Al looked up with puppy-dog eyes.

Ed petted his head. "Of course. Bring a hard-hat. You know she's got _the wrench_."

Al nodded and they locked up the house. Since they were in Central, Resembool was only an hour-long train ride. But, then again, they wouldn't let any animals on board... So they had to walk.

Ed started out walking, but ended up sitting on Al's back and Al trudged threw the terrian. They finally arrived at Winry's house and such an early hour that no bystanders were out and about. Ed knocked on the door.

"Winry!" He called.

There was a loud thundering sound from inside. Winry opened the door. "Yeah?"

Ed smiled. "Hello."

Winry's blonde, tossled hair covered half her face. "Ed... It's you. Come in." She yawned.

Ed stepped in, but turned and kneeled down as Winry went back to the house. "Stay quiet, 'kay?" He asked.

Al nodded and folowed silently.

Winry yawned again and set a cup of coffie down in front of her. Al sat behind Ed, a lot like a dog would do his owner.

"Good morning." Ed properly greeted.

"What's up?" Winry asked, now fully awake. She looked at the stairs, expecting Den to come down.

"Ha ha, funny story. We've been up to a lot, me and Al..."

Winry frowned. "And?"

"Al... Come on over and say good morning to Winry. Don't be so rude." Ed laughed, looking behind his chair.

Al streched and stood, shaking his head. He trotted to Winry and looked up. "Hi."

Winry screamed and nearly fell out of her chair. She pointed, shakily, at the 'beast' in front of her.

Al lowered his head, folding his ears flat agenst his head. (A/N: Good time to describe what he looks like, right? Ha ha, sorry I didn't before very well.) A well-groomed lion mane grew around his neck, and two slitted, blue eyes looked down at the floor. Scaley paws held him up, with three huge claws poking out onto the floor on each paw. His back had fur on it, though his stomach was covered with green scales. His tail was thick like an aligator's, but furry like a lion's. It even had that darker-colored fur tuff on the end. He was one of the better looking chimeras out there. His face was the exact of a male lion's, but had two sharp fangs poking from the edges of the sides of his mouth like a crocidile. His nose was tan and wet, with his beg back legs tucked to his sides, much like a dog's hind legs would be if it was sitting streight.

"Ah... Al..." Winry stuttered. She looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

Ed sucked in a deep breath and began to explain. He told about Riza's death, and Al's epic sacrifice, even to the smaller detail of Wrath jumping out the window by his head.

Winry nodded, and looked at Al with new eyes. "Can he be turned back to normal?"

Al sighed and shook his head. "I don't think so."

Ed frowned. "Well... We'll start some studing later. I just wanted you to know what happened." He looked away.

Winry reached out and hugged Alphonse."Thanks... For telling me." She wispered, gently stroking his mane.

Al pulled away. "Ed... No..." He said, looking down.

"What?" Ed leaned forward in his chair.

"This was my fault... There should be no 'we'." Al stuttered.

"Don't talk like that! This is just like when we tried to bring back Mom. You should've stopped me, and I should've stopped you before you made your mistake."

"So you're saying it's my fault for what got us into the bodies we were stuck with?"

"No, Al! It was both of us that did it! Besides, we got our bodies back!" Ed's expression turned worridly.

"You call _this_ my _original_ body?!?" Al growled.

Ed shook his head. "Al, stop this! I didn't do anything to make you mad at me!"

"If it was _my_ fault for resurecting Mom," Al flicked his tail angerly. "Than it's _your_ fault for letting me have this body! It's like Mom always said- You're the older brother! You're supposed to protect me! And yet you let me be stuck inside the body of something that was _created_ in a labritory, and is the sworn enemy of all humans alike?! Chimera's are shot daily, Ed! I... I don't want to die!" Al slumped onto the floor and put his paws on his head, covering his face as tears streaked down his fur on his face. "I... I don't want to... To be... Be killed by y-your fellow officers!" He only managed a few words between sobs.

Ed nearly jumped out of his chair as he kneeled down by Al. He wrapped his arms around Al's big neck, his mane just barley touching his hands. "Al... I love you. I would lay my life down before I'd ever let you be killed." He wispered, a single tear streaking down his face alone. "Don't be worried. Big Brother is here. He doesn't intend on leaving, either." Ed slightly smiled.

Winry kneeled down and put her arms around the both of them. "I love you guys." She said, smiling. (A/N: She means it in a _friendly_ way.)

Ed lifted Al's chin. "Okay?"

Al sniffled, and nodded.

Winry got up and made breakfast for the three of them. She made pancakes. Ed fiddled with a fork, and Al got his wiskers stuck in the syrup. What's funny is, Winry's granny never came downstairs the whole time. Winry tried to give coffie to Al, but he ended up burning his tounge. Ed laughed so hard that coffie squirted out his nose. Winry smacked him so hard for making a mess that it left a welt. Al coughed up a hair-ball on Ed's leg, and he chased the poor brother around the house, tearing it up. Winry laughed so hard that her sides nearly split open.

The two bid their life-long friend fairwell as they set back to Central. The walk was forever in one-hundred degree weather. Compleate with scowles, odd looks, growles, and glares, the two made their way to the headquarters.

Another millitary officer stepped out of Roy's office, a scared look on his face.

Colonel Mustang put a hand on his chin. "Fullmetal, with a chimera? He couldn't have found it with Shou Tucker, because he was murdered by Scar... So, I'm cerious. Hawkeye, will you please tell the front office that I give my permisson to let Fullmetal and his pet in, but tell him to put a muzzle on it."

Riza nodded and walked out of the office. She hurridly walked to the front office and leaned in over the counter to the officer standing by the doors. "Colonel Roy Mustang has told me to diliver a message to you. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal alchemist, is coming in with a chimera, and he wishes to speak with Colonel Roy Mustang. Will you tell him that permission is granted, and to please muzzle the chimera at all costs before he verntures any farther into the building. No excuses."

The officer nodded. Riza smiled and thanked them before heading back to Roy's office.

Ed came in the doors, Al folowing quietly.

The same officer Riza had alerted stepped in front of Ed's path. "Mr. Edward Elric, Colonel Mustang knows of your visit, and wishes you put a 'muzzle' on it before you go any further into headquarters. No acceptance."

Ed slumped his shoulders. "Jerk-Face knows I'm here? Man. C'mon." He turned to Al. Ed was in no mood to argue.

Al folded his ears on his head flat. Ed clapped his hands and gently put them on the ground, making a leather muzzle. He picked it up and straped it onto Al's muzzle.

The officer still stood in Ed's way.

"What?" He scowled. "Do you want a leash or something?"

The officer nodded. 'It's best for all of our safety."

Ed clapped his hands and made a leash. He tied it to the back of the muzzle. "Good?"

The officer nodded and stepped to the side. Ed yanked the leash. Al really, really, really, hated this.

They came to Roy's office and Ed flung open the door.

"Oh, Halfsize. What brings you here?" Roy asked.

"It's _Fullmetal_." Ed growled. "What brings _you_ here, Pyro?"

Roy scrunched his brow. He hated it when younger alchemists, wait, he didn't hate the other alchemists. He only hated Edward. "The chimera. Explain why you're wandering around with a chimera in the middle of Central city." Roy had picked up a pen and was tapping it on his desk, as if to exaggurate his point.

Ed sighed.

Al walked over to Roy.

"Is it nice?" Roy asked, frowning at Al.

"Yes, 'it' is. 'It' has a name." Ed's eyes lit up. "Ha ha... It talks. Come here." He patted his legs.

Al came over to Ed.

"Now, can you say 'Roy'?"

Al caught on. "R... Ruh... Roy...?"

"Very good!" Ed smiled evily, clapping his hands.

Roy's eyes went wide. "Make it say something else."

Ed leaned in towards Al. "Walk over and say something really suprising."

Al nodded and went to Roy. He spotted his gloves and ripped one from the table. Roy jerked back, but saw Al had only took it down on the ground. Al put a paw on it. "The transmutation sewing was done sloppily, and these gloves are turning grey instead of white. I laugh at the fact that Big Brother calls you a 'wet match'. Too bad you can't get a girlfriend. May I suggest talking to Havoc?" Al smiled, tilting his head a little.

Roy fell out of his chair. "Fullmetal!!!!!!!!!!!" He shouted, shaking the entire building.

Ed bust into laughter.

While Roy tried to flame Ed, Al slumped out of the office. He couldn't have this anymore. Ed noticed Al's dispearence and went into the hall.

"Hey! What's wrong?" He asked.

Al lowered his head. "Ed... Not anymore. I'm sorry." Al took off running. Ed tried to chase after, but was caught by Roy.

"Edward..." Roy put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Alphonse... He's in pain. Using him as a source of laughter is cruel. (A/N: I feel this way with my friends... T_T) Just let him be alone."

"You know nothing about my brother!" Ed snapped back. Ed tore down the hall. He clapped his hands and made a wall shoot up into the air, stopping Al.

Al flipped around to see Ed aproaching him angerly. "Why'd you do that?!" Ed shouted, kicking Alphonse.

Al yelped when Ed's black boot lodged into his ribs.

"Al, you're so stupid! First, you give away the body I worked so hard to restore! Then you up and run away! What's the matter with you?!" Ed yelled.

Al managed to his feet. "Why are you acting like this!?" He growled back.

"I'm done with you! Go get shot! I could care less! Watching after you is too much! I'm going to life my live normally from now on! So get out of it!!" Ed yelled, kicking Alphonse one last time. Al scampered away, tears flowing out of his eyes. It wasn't the pain from the kicks that made it hard. It was the way he had been so minupulated all these years.

* * *

**Hey guys... I had to put this little skit in here. Me and my old friend were as tight as Ed and Al are. Heck, we **_**were**_** Ed and Al. She's older than me, and likes to swear, yet I was taller than her. She always got mad when she was called short. She never let me bring stray cats into the house(she was always over), and I was a very easy target to other people... And she always defended me. I **_**loved**_** her with all my heart. Yet she crushed me and kicked me down(not literally, like Edward did, but, you know. :P) just like Ed did Al. In this story, I'm kind of Al. The things she made me be. A metal hunk that felt nothing for Al, an empty piece of junk for me. A human for Al, actually loved for me, a chimera for Al, a total beast for me, even though me and Al did nothing but the right things. Sorry... I had to write it out. :P Hope you liked it! Please R&R!**


	10. Remember Who You Are

**A/N at the end! I'm too lazy to put one up right now! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA! I'm exicted to write the next chapter! YaYaYaYaYaYaY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Al ran with all his might. He made his way to the exit and to the edges of Central before colapsing from pain and exaustion. His stomach rumbled, since it was lunch time. And in Central, in the middle of the day, it gets **hot** outside.

Al panted as he leaned agenst a large metal dumpster in an alleyway. He couldn't be seen in public, for he would surely cause a scene. His eyes burned from all the crying he had done. His legs ached from running on hard pavement and dodging walls and other small objects, such as stools or buckets. His ribs throbbed from the painful black boot that had been lodged forefully into them. Al coughed and sputtered. His mouth was dry.

Al was inturruped when a large shadow loomed over him. It was an old woman, wrapped in a purple cloth of silk, and a deep blue dress. She held in her hands a crystal ball.

"Alphonse?" She asked.

Al looked up.

"I know what has happened, please, come with me." The woman gestured, moving out of the alley.

Al had no other choice. He could either sit here and bake, waiting for Ed or somebody else to get him, or go with the woman. She seemed nice enough. Why not?

"My name..." She said, without looking back. "Is Madam Fate."

* * *

The wrench was slammed down on his head, harder than ever before. And again. And again. And again.

Ed slipped to the floor, a massive headache pulsing throughout him.

"You idiot!!!" Winry screamed at the top of her lungs. Her face was beat red and she was shaking from anger. Tears swept down her cheeks. She banged Ed a few more times with her wrench.

Ed cringed with every blow. He glanced down at his boot, the one used to kick the poor boy, and saw a small blood stain. No, it wasn't from the beating he was recieving, but from Al. Ed cringed harder upon the sight. He didn't know weather to hate himself or to take pride in what he had done. Winry's actions suggested he hate himself.

Winry stopped. She fell to her knees. She threw down her rench. Why was she waisting her time? This was a matter of the Elric's. Not the Rockbell's.

Ed bit his lip. He stayed silent. Even words seemed to stop within him.

Roy shook his head. He sighed.

Riza sat in his office, her head down, a single tear streaking down her face. Roy didn't look at her. She stood up, grabbing her gun, and made her way to the hallway.

"Hawkeye, what's on your mind?" Roy asked, staring worridly at the black, well-pollished gun in the female officer's hands.

"I'm going to rid the world one less soul." Riza said, sturdily.

Roy's eyes widened. "You don't mean....?"

"This is the first time I've ever had my mind set to kill somebody, I knew it would happen. I just wouldn't have ever imagined that he is the figure he is." Riza said glumly, stopping.

Roy's eyes narrowed. "Riza Hawkeye, I will **not** permit such behavior from you. Stand down!" Roy comanded.

"Sir, the soul I am seeking is not Alphonse. It is Scar." Riza's lips edged into a slight smile. She walked down the hallway and out the exit.

Roy stood, dazed, yet smiling. "And that's why I picked her to be my subordanant. Well... At least my favorite, anyway." He smerked smugly, going back into his office and closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Madam Fate?" Al asked.

"Yes." Madam Fate answered. She walked to a parked wagon just behind the train station.

Al stared at it oddly. "A wagon?" He asked.

Fate nodded. "I am not a commoner as you and your brother are. But... I'm not sure how a blonde, short state alchemist and his brother, chimera or suit of armor, are cocnicdered commoners, either... Well, come with me. I came for you, Alphonse. I am here to protect you until all harm is out of the way." Fate smiled.

Al looked down. "So... Are you like a gypsie or something? A forutiune-telling monk?"

"I suppose, to some degree. There is food waiting for you inside." Fate said, climbing up to the steering position and grabbing the reins of each horse in her frail hands.

Alphonse lifted his nose. He could smell food in the drawn part of the small wagon. The wagon was no bigger than the car Roy Mustang owned. The horses were small and strong. The place to sit inside was no bigger than a cage for two large dogs. Yet, it was shaded and a food plate and water dish were sitting near the back. Al, acting like the animal he was, carefully stepped into the back and headed for the food. He dug his nose into the raw meat and chomped down. It tasted so firmillar. Al shook his head and swallowed the bite.

Fate looked back behind her, as to make sure Alphonse was inside the small wagon, and whipped the horses. They whinnied and started to gallop. The wagon creaked and moaned as it passed over the train tracks. A conductor yelled at Fate. But all was ignored. Al sat in the back, finishing the last of his water, and watched the world pass by.

All was well until one of the wheels on the wagon spun off.

There was a blast at the wood with gun shots. Three large spikes shot up threw the floorboards of the back of the wagon. Al's foot was caught and injured, but he managed up and out of the hole. He ran to the front of the wagon, limping, and saw Madam Fate, also wounded. The two horses had been shot dead.

"Are you okay?" Al asked.

"Yes. I'll be fine. Just get out of here!" She commanded.

"No!" Al stuttered.

A bullet hurtled into the air, heading for Madam Fate's head. Al heard it, just inches away, and moved to protect her.

Blood spattered his tan mane. He stumbled to the ground.

_"Remember who you are, Rage." _

Al opened his eyes. It was the last thing Wrath had said to him before Wrath turned on him. _Rage._ That was it. To survive, even if he was a chimera, he had to remember who he was. Move with the stealth of a chimera. Fight with the power and protection of armor. Think like a weild such power is to control his _rage._

"Rage..." Al murmered, finding the strength to stand up. He turned to see Riza and Ed coming up the tall hill the wagon had just swept over.

Al growled deeply at Ed. He wasn't wanted. He was a waste of time. He was unwanted. If he was never liked, then he should go down disliked.

Al charged at Ed, moving to quickly that Ed had no time to defend himself. Al swiped his long claws with the force of nature at his will. Ed screamed out, grabbing his chest and toppling backwords. Three long, red slahes marked his skin.

Al looked down at his claws. They were blood-stained. The oder travled to his wet nose. It smelled just as the meat he had eaten tasted. Al hungered for more. He lunged at Ed, who was just barely standing. Ed tried to clap his hands, but all attempts failed. Al had become too quick. His paws, suddenly, burned with the strength and heat of a thousand flames.

Ed called out to Riza. She was paralized. Everything was shocking. Al, getting hit in the head with a bullet, and still found the strength to stand and even attempt to kill his brother?

Al swiped his claws Ed. Ed watched as actuall fire shot towards him.

Ed closed his eyes tight as he held his arms up in front of his face.

A stream of fire came from behind Ed. It hit Al's fire and sent it back, ten-fold. Al screamed and flew back.

"Not so fast, Elric." Came the command of the Colonel.

Ed looked up to his rescuer. "Roy?" He stuttered, grabbing his bloody chest once more.

"Fullmetal, don't you remember when I said that I'd have your brother in for tests? I allready knew the results. Al had a tremendous power concealed within him, both from his knowalge of alchemy and from what the homunculi donated. The homunculi manefested that power into this- And labeled it Rage. I'm not sure what has set it off this time, but we've got to stop it. And it looks like you're his target. Hawkeye, take Edward back to the hospital. I'll deal with Alphonse." Roy smerked.

Ed nodded and Riza came over and helped him up. They stumbled away, just long enough for Al to stand.

He looked around, shaking from pain. His fur was magled from blood and burns. Anger made him dizzy. The power pulsing threw him was unbearable. The knowlage of not even his brother able to help him made him weak. He could manage but a low growel as he fell back to the dusty ground. Dust clung to his blood as he listened to his heartbeat ring threw his ears. Only until the world went black, that is.

Ed looked down, after an hour, at the small black stitches running in three lines across his bare chest. He groaned. The hospital smelt like hand sanetizer and rubber. The bed was stiff and unchomphortable. He was suprised that he didn't see Winry in the corner of the room, waiting for him to wake. It was empty.

Winry stared at the bed in front of her. She stared at each of the tiny dozen tubes hooked up to water and blood supplies hooked by a metal chain to a rack. She stared at the oxygen mask hooked up to another maciene, providing oxygen to whomever used it. She stared at the small cart with wheels by the bed. She stared at each of the needles, at the thread, at the medicene bottles, the bloody cotton swab, and the blood-stained black bullet on a tray on the cart. She stared at the un-drinken glass of water on the cart. And she stared at the muzzle and leash, both bloody, on the floor, tangled with clumps of fur, dust, and blood. It took a three-hour-long operation to hook up each tube, remove the bullet, remove the muzzle and leash embeded in skin, stitch up gashes, put a cast around a broken anchle, and give blood and water to the dehydrated chimera. With a team of eight doctors, all working with something covered in blood. And still- This is how he lay. Mangled and beaten, just bearly alive.

Winry felt a hot welling in her throat. Staring at the unconcious Alphonse Elric made her break down. All she wanted to hear him do was cough. Wisper. Even growel. Just one sign that he was concious would make her feel better.

Her prayers were granted when Al breathed in loudly. He coughed and opened his eyes.

Winry leaped from her chair and wrapped her hands around Al's neck gently, smiling hard.

"Thank god," She wispered. "Oh thank god!"

* * *

**Hey peoples...! Sorry this is so short, I had to get it out. What are you thinking? Am I rwisting the plot too fastly? Or is it totally sucking? Please, please tell me!! I LOVE YOU ALL WHO READ THIS!!!!!!! PLEASE R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!! **


	11. Peace by the River

**~S.O.S She's in desguise--A domesticated girl, that's all you asked of me, darling it is no joke, this is lycanthropy, moon's awake now, with eyes wide open, my body's craving, to feed the hungry-- There's a she wolf in your closet, open up and set her free, AROOOOOO!~ (She Wolf by Shakira-- AWESOME SONG!) I had to type that. Had to. No joke. HAD TO! Lol. I'm on FIRE!!!!! I've been on this kick, and... WHEHEHE! Do you know that they make Egg Nog flavored bubble gum? Yeah. I know. LOL! It's good. I gots some. I'm chewen' on it right now. YUMMY! BUBBLE! *pop* YAY! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shakira, She Wolf, or FullMetal Alchemist. . (Why they gotta' dispoint me like that? T.T) **

Al groaned when he felt the warmpth of Winry. He couldn't move, but he forced a smile. He had been freezing while he layed still, so the instant heat startled him. Winry pulled back, smiling, feeling almost so happy she wanted to laugh.

"Al, oh my god, I'm... I'm relieved..." She said, hugging him once more.

Al took in a deep breath and decided he was going to try to speak. "B... Brother..." He murmered. "Where...?" The anestetic the doctors gave him made his jaw numb and his words slurr.

"He's in here, too. The room right next to us." Winry couldn't keep a smile anymore. "Al..." She said, more seriously. Al looked Winry in the eyes as she spoke. "Did... Were you..." She searched for anything to say. A tear slipped down her cheek. "Did you try to kill Ed?" She gripped Al's white sheets into her fists as her face reddened.

Al felt a stab to his heart. "I... I..." He stuttered. "I... Don't... Know... Happened..." He coughed. He was dizzy and sleepy. Talking only made it worse.

"Al! Please!" Winry sobbed, grabbing the boy's chest.

"Rage..." Al said after a moment. "Rage... Did... It... Not... Me..." He kicked himself as he tryed to talk correctly. He hated sounding like this.

Winry looked up at him with a who-are-you-talking-about look.

Al nodded. "Rage is... Rage is..." He kicked himself again, and harder. "Rage is the power... Rage is who I.... Who I used to be..."

Winry looked down again, nodding. She also noted how hard Al was trying to talk normally. She let go of him. "So... Rage made you attack Ed, huh?"

Al leaned his head back. "Yup." He was about to close his eyes when another thought crossed his head. His mouth was no longer numb. "Why did Ed... Why did he kick me?"

"He... He was worried about you. Ed is... The kind of guy to not know when to let some things come out as others. His worry came out as anger, I guess. I think 'Rage' noticed that, so it... It took ahold of you, if that's what you're trying to mean. It made you react so obviously to the fact that Ed called you worthless and... And consumed Al and hurt Ed. I'm just glad you came back and stopped before anything worse happened." Winry smiled.

"How did you know?" Al asked.

"I got all the details from Riza and the Colonel." Winry looked to the door.

"Once again... It's my fault that Ed is injured so badly. It's my fault for making him worry, and-- Madam Fate!" Al screached jolting up. He coughed and fell back down.

Winry put her hands on his shoulders. "Who is she?"

"She-- She was the old woman that I was with!" Al called out.

"They found her dead, Al." A newer voice saddily announced.

Al and Winry looked to the door to see a limp and weak Ed leaning on it's frame.

Al's eyes lit up. "Brother!" He called.

Ed smiled and made his way to a chair. "Learn to control Rage, okay?"

Al smiled. "Brother..."

Ed flicked his hand. "Just get better. I'll be having a... Err... Discussing a rather _firey_ topic with Mr. Flame. He'll be the one paying for your medical bill, since _his_ flames caused most of the damage." Ed broke into a laugh.

Al smiled warmly, leaning back on his pillow. It was then the fact of Madam Fate's death hit him. "Wait, Big Brother, Madam Fate was _what?!?_"

"She was killed in the accedent. Riza reported a wagon moving along out where we found you, since we got a call from a train conductor, and... Our only assumption at the time was it be the homunculi. We attacked the wagon and you came out. Why?"

"Brother, she..." Al felt his eyes well up. Fate had come and given him food and water. She promised him she would protect him when Ed couldn't. She ment a lot to Al in a friendly way.

Ed shook his head and sighed. "Sorry."

Winry poked a finger up. "Hey! It's still early. Let me go get some breakfast for you guys. Al, Ed- What do you want?"

Ed srugged. "I guess... Whatever they're serving. I don't mind, as long as it isn't milk."

Al nodded. "That's all I want, really. Milk." He laughed.

"How can you drink that crap(A/N: My apologies to all dairy farmers- I'm very sorry Ed is like that.)? It's desgusting!" Ed exclaimed, sticking his tounge out.

"I _am_ part lion. Lion's _are_ related to cats."

"Yeah, but lions don't drink milk!" Ed laughed.

"Most lions don't talk, either." Al said, joining in.

Winry stood and walked out, heading for the mess hall. Once there, she picked up two trays. One had two eggs, a piece of bacon, and a piece of toast on it. The other had a large hunk of meat and a small bowel of milk. Winry decided Ed would be okay with eggs, and since Al was part lion(more than part crocodile), the meat would do just fine. She picked a cup of coffie and set it on Ed's tray. If she got hungry, she would just take what she wanted from Ed, if he liked it or not. After all, she _did_ have her wrench with her.

Winry walked back and gave the food to each of the brothers. Al had gained a bit of movement in his arms.

Ed grabbed the plate hungerly and chomped down on the toast. "Thanks." He muttered through a mouthful. Winry smiled.

Al, however, carefully used his claw to slice a thin peace from the hunk. He bit the slice from his claw and chewed politely, then quietly lapped a drink of milk from the bowel.

Ed noisely slurped from the coffie mug and chewed loudly, smacking his mouth wide open. Winry slugged him for being desgusting.

After the meal, and Winry being succesfull at stealing an egg, Ed went back to his room. Al wanted so badly to get up and walk around, but he couldn't apply pressure to his anchle just yet.

Winry went to Ed's room after Al fell asleep.

Al woke again when sunset came around. With being part animal, Al felt he had been caged up. He quietly ripped the tubes from his fur-patched arms and paws and fell out of bed. He limped to the door and ran to the nearest exit.

Winry heard a loud thump from Al's room. She went to it, followed by Ed, to find an empty bed. Winry was worried, but Ed wasn't suprised. He knew exactly where to go.

Ed slipped out of the doors and went to the cemitary. His mother's grave is where he went to. The grass in front of it looked like it had been layed on, if only for a moment. And it was fresh, he could tell. Ed smiled and looked at the town. It was a good thing the river wasn't far from here, his chest was starting to hurt.

Ed made his way down the large hill leading to the river. He saw a large animal laying by the bank, and Al not far from it. The animal was growling and snarling. Ed stood still.

Al growled at the animal. It was a crocedile he was facing, and it was good he understood it through animal talk.

"Get away..." The crock growled.

"I understand," Al said, begining to limp backwords.

"I don't think you do." The other crock barked, moving forward. "You're a discrace to all the other animals out there. Get away from my river!"

Al nodded. "I am, I am."

The crock lunged at Al, but was stopped when a large spike jetted threw it's skull. Al wimpered quietly as the crock fell lifeless.

Ed raced to Al. "You okay?" He asked.

"Ye... Yeah..." Al shook his head. He tried to stand. but fell.

Ed sucked in a deep breath and picked up Al. "You're heavy!" Ed eclaimed as he stumbled up the hill.

Ed colapsed from exaugstion just as they came to Trisha Elric's grave.

The two brothers lie side by side, feeling the warmpth of the pink sun beating down on them as it set. They fell asleep this way, Al's paw on Ed's chest, Ed's hand on Al's chest, and a smile on both their faces.

Until the laugh of a certian someone permiated the peace.


	12. Revenge

**OH MY GOZH! YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! SO MANY NEW PEOPLE READING! THIS IS AWESOME! My story was called... *sniff* EPIC! I am SO HAPPY! Yaaaaaay to whoever called it that! YOU ROCK! How am I doing with this? Is it going too fast or too slow? Is my grammer totally sucking? Well, I gotta' know, so I know how to please you guys! If you're not happy, I'm not happy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Alchemist of Fullmetal. **

"And why are we here?" Spat the green-haired homunculus. He put his hands on his bare hips.

"Stop complaining. We've got important information on the Fullmetal twirp and his pet. We could use this, you know." Sloth defeneded. "Envy."

Envy kicked at the ground. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. It's freezing." He murmered, putting his hands together and breathing into them.

"I'm hungry..." Whined none other than Gluttony.

"You'll get lunch after this." Lust said, putting a hand on Gluttony's shoulder.

There was a loud whimper.

"What was that?" Greed asked, looking around as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"This." Wrath announced with pride. He tugged on a big, heavy iorn metal chain. On the end of it was a whining black dog.

"Can I eat it?" G luttony asked greedily. (A/N: Isn't it funny? The words I'm using? Lol.)

Lust sighed. "Until we know what Wrath is planning, no."

"This dog," Smiled Wrath. "Is the bait for our mousetrap."

"But instead of mice we're catching, it's an alchemist and a chimera." Envy finished. "I like it. I like it a lot."

"We're leaving this up to you." Greed flicked his hand. "Do it right or face the fight."

Everybody knew how much Wrath hated to fight.

Wrath gulped noisily and nodded. "Of course! I went to a lot of trouble getting this thing!"

Sloth caught one last glimpse of the animal before Wrath dragged it back into the pitch black. She could've been wrong, but it looked like the dog was wearing _auto-mail_.

* * *

The cold air woke Ed first. He opened his eyes and grumbled. Frost stuck to his skin and sent chills down his back. He looked down to see his mother's grave, and his brother laying next to him.

Ed was freezing. He sat up and shook his brother. "Al..." He murmered.

Al rolled over and opened his eyes. "B... Brother...?"

"Get up. It's cold out. We should really get back." Ed stood up grogily.

Al nodded and heaved himself up.

The two contenued to walk down the hill and alongside the river before a high-pitched shreak broke the silence.

Ed stopped. "Al, did you hear that?"

Al nodded. "Did something happen?"

"That's what I'm wondering. C'mon, let's go check it out."

"Brother, you're injured!" Exclaimed the youth. "You can't afford to fight! Do you want more stitches?"

"I can't help that other people in this world need help. Are you coming or not?" Ed started walking again, and faster.

Al sighed loudly. "Brother, you're so stubborn."

The brothers ran back onto the main road of Central. Ed looked around.

"Al, does anything smell different to you?" He asked.

"I..." Al paused, sniffing the air.

"Smoke." They said in unison.

Ed ran as hard as he could, with Al trailing behind, to a large building errupting in flames. A woman screached from the top floor of the building.

"Help! My children! Help them!" She cried, holding an infant and a toddler.

Ed's eyes widened. He froze.

* * *

_"Momma, why is that house orange?" Asked a three-year-old Edward. _

_"Owrange." Repeated a two-year-old Alphonse. _

_Trisha smiled at her sons. "Boys, let's go back inside." She said, scooping Al up and leading Ed back into the house. _

_Frantic screams filled young Edward's head as he hesitated to move. He saw many millitary personell surrounding the 'orange' house and they tried to remove a woman and her children as the house blew up in flames. Ed watched in horror as they failed. _

* * *

"Al." Ed growled.

"Yes?" Al asked, limping closer to the blonde.

"Don't watch." Ed said, reading himself to clap his hands.

"Brother, please!" Al looked up at him, moving in front of him. "Let me do this! I want to see what I can do in this body!"

By then, people had started to surround the building.

Al didn't wait for an answer. He darted into the door. Smoke filled his mouth and nose. He coughed because of it's taste. He dodged a falling board. The house was grey with suit and reflected an orange tent umong it's white walls. It was a well-furnished home.

Al swiftly moved to the staircase, but collapsed on the third step. His anchle throbbed. He shook it off and bounded up it's steps, to the second level. He made his way to the third level and caught up to the woman. She shreaked upon the sight of Al. Al told her that he was with the Fullmetal Alchemist, and that her children would be safe. Having no choice, she handed the two kids to Al. Al put the toddler on his back and told him to hang on. The infant, however, was a different story. Al gently grabbed him in his jaws by the scruff of his clothing. Al jumped up on the open windowseal and jumped. He jumped as hard as he could.

"Edward!" He shouted, hurtling threw the air. The toddler flipped around on Al's chest and Al curled around the two kids as a hard stone hand reached up. Al landed hard on his back as the stone retreated back into the ground.

Ed grabbed the kids and gave them to a millitary officer standing by. The millitary had shown up while Al was in the building.

Ed shook the chimera. "Alphonse!" He screamed. "Al!"

Al opened his eyes just a crack. The edges of his lips curved into a slight smile. "Are they okay?" He asked weakly.

Ed smiled and nodded. "They're safe. Are you okay?"

Al groaned and nodded. "Sore, just sore."

Ed helped the boy up and they made their way to Mustang and Riza, who had just shown up in their shiek black car.

The two got in and Roy started the car up again.

"What were you two doing there?" He asked secpticly.

"What, do you think we started that fire?!" Ed scowled. Al was leaning on him and breathing heavily, his eyes shut.

"I don't, but the higher-ups might." Roy stepped on the gas. The car choughed and chugged along the road.

Riza handed a tan blanket back to Ed, who wrapped it around Al. "Is Alphonse okay?" She asked.

"I... I don't know." Ed looked down.

"Fullmetal, you and your brother escaped the hospital yesterday. I do hope you know it's not only Alphonse that is going back." Roy gripped the wheel tightly.

"What?!?" Ed exclaimed. "I'm not going back there! Niether is Al!"

Roy jerked on the brake. "Your friend, Winry!" He shouted.

Ed shut up. "What... What happened to her?"

"She went home after looking for you two and found her house had been broken into! Her dog is missing and she's worried sick about you!" Roy yelled.

Ed gasped. "Wha..."

Al whimpered and coughed. Ed put a hand on his shoulder.

"Please, get Al back there. I'm going to Winry's." Ed announced, leaping out of the car. He slammed the door shut and took off.

Al fell sidways on the seat and opened his eyes. "Brother? He murmered.

Ed slowed his pace and looked back behind him. Al was trying very hard to get out of the car, but Riza and Roy were shoving him back in. Ed felt a sliver of guilt pulse threw him, but contenued running.

Riza sat in the back with Al. Al layed his head on her lap, saddily staring out thw window. Riza reached over and adjusted the blanket covering his back.

"Alphonse..." She whispered.

Al looked up at her.

"Come stay with me and Hayate. At least until you heal. Staying with Edward will make him more skittish. You'll be in a warm house and be fed properly." Riza smiled warmly. "Besides, it's the only thing I can do right now to pay you back for what you've done for me."

"But... Brother will worry more..." Al huffed quietly. "He--"

Riza cut him off as she put a hand on Al's head. "Really, now. It'll be fine. I'll ask the Colonel to take us home."

Riza asked Roy to take them to her home. The car chugged along the cold winter road. It stopped at Riza's home, her appartment, and let the two out.

Roy tapped his window, signaling Al over.

"She'll be good to you." Roy smiled. "She's a different woman at home than she is at work."

Al smiled and nodded. Roy pulled away.

Riza unlocked the door. Hayate greeted her, but growled at Al. Riza looked the pup in the eyes. "Hayate, no. This is Alphonse. He--" She was inturupted by a flash of light.

Al was knocked to the ground. A large metal blade shot into his tail.

"Achk!" He yelled.

Riza was blasted to the floor. She felt three knives pin her to the ground. One in each arm, and one in her left leg.

"You think we'd let you live?" Spat an all-too-firmilliar voice.

Al looked up. Wrath was on top of him. Wrath's hand wrapped around Al's neck.

"You're injured. You're dieing. It was because of you that I lost a life of my stone! Father was ferious at me! Now, I'm paying him back!" Wrath hollared.

The blade went in.

And didn't come out.


	13. Mistake

**I AM A TOTAL IDIOT! Thanks, Anime Freak, for cathcing my screw-up. I'll have this fixed in a jiff, and you might have to go back and check chapters 12-14 out again. I am really, really sorry. So, here is chapter 13. Sorry again. Live and learn, right? Heh heh... Please don't kill me. *hides behind Al in a corner* **

**Dedication(yup, another one): For my best friends in the world, Tabitha and Ivory. I love you two, and I hope you are both okay. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. T.T **

The lights dimmed around him. All he heard was the yelling of Riza, the laugh of Wrath, and the sound of shattering glass. There was a moment of yelling, but he was far too weak and dizzy to conentrate on anything in particular. He felt his body lifted from the ground. Al thought that this was what it was like to die. Allthough it hurt much more when his body was 'taken' from him, this feeling was calm. It didn't hurt.

"Why?!" Cursed the blonde-haired alchemist. He held Al in his arms, bridal style, blood dripping down his black shirt and pale arms. "Wrath, why?!" He hollared.

Wrath himself was a crumpled heap on the ground. His arm was lazily draped across his stomach, with a drabble of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. It slowly edged into an evil grin as he thought about his answer. "Why? It's simple. We're created from an alchemist's mistakes. We _are_ mistakes. It's just like that chimera Tucker created a while back-- Didn't it say _'I want to die'_?"

"Are you telling me that Al said he _wanted_ this?!?" Ed snapped back angerly.

Wrath narrowed his eyes. He swallowed hard. "No. Not in the least did he want it. After all, he _did_ live a cushy life." Wrath said, emphasizing the fact that Al was, truely and most definitly, dead.

Ed saw the emptiness, the flatness, in Al's eyes. The color had turned to grey. A sickly grey. It made him cringe. His face was sunken in and his fur was cloaked in blood. Sticky, sloppy, wet blood.

Wrath, unwillingly, went on. "It's the same with us. We have to live on. Don't you think we'd have stopped such murder? Homunculi get such a desgusting reputation because of what the others did, Ed! Not us! When we die, we're replaced. One in the first group did something horrible, becuase the alchemist that created him was just as sick-minded! A homunculi not only represents what the alchemist did wrong, but the alchemist themselves! You're mistake was innocent, and Sloth is, too! She's nice! She doesn't kill like Lust and Envy do! She represents you, Ed! Just as I represent your teacher! She lost part of her life when I died, and recreating me showed she only wanted to live a full, normal life! Just as I do!"

Ed's eyes widened as Wrath spoke. He realised that the thing he was talking to wasn't a thing, as he always imagined. Homunculi have human emotions, even if they're not supposed to. Wrath didn't kill Al becuase of hatred. He didn't kill becuase he was told to. He killed because he is no better than a human. He killed becuase of the same reason any human would kill. _Anger. Balance. Judgement._ The three things that connected most to alchemy. And Wrath was an alchemist.

"Alchemy isn't some net to catch you when you fall, Wrath!" Ed spat. "Just because we made mistakes doesn't mean you can curl up in them and use them as a shield! Alchemy is a privlage, a knowlage-- Not a way of minupulation! So don't give me that crap! You killed Al because you were mad at the world! And that is just _wrong!_"

Ed's words meaned nothing to Wrath. It wasn't the words being hissed at him. It was the _way_ they were being hissed. It was the truth behind them. The honesty.

Wrath sucked in a breath and looked at the ground. "You humans," He panted. "You can find our weakest spot and bring us down to our knees. And that's the only thing we share with you. Like I said, it's the mistake of an alchemist that brings us life. And it's the mistake of an alchemist that brings us death. You can't run away from us, you know that. You see it as stupidity when you turn to fight us after a while, a mistake. That mistake kills us."

Ed's eyes painted confusion, child-like confusion, on his face. "What are you saying?"

"Being a dog on a chain is miserable! If you have no intention of feeding the poor thing, put it down! That's what I ask of you, Ed! Kill me, even if Izumi told you not to! Please, make that mistake!" The homunculus pleaded.

Ed closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "No, I'm afraid I can't do that. A mistake is an accedent. If I know it's going to happen... It's not a mistake. Just come and help me." Ed opened his eyes. He stood up.

Wrath looked petrified. He stood up, but doubled over. "How did you find me?"

"I asked Mustang. He said Al was with Riza. How funny- I came to find you here. Now come on." Ed commanded, carrying Al to the sidewalk.

Wrath looked down. "God, why do I get myself into this crap?" He asked himself aloud, scooping up Riza and following along. He wasn't sure if she was still alive. Surely the posion had run it's course.

Ed made his way down the sidewalk before being jerked to a stop. Wrath grabbed Al and told Ed to hold Riza.

"Why?" Ed questioned.

Wrath didn't answer. He only set Al, on his back, on the sidewalk. He shakily reached in the wound penitrating Al's heart. Ed didn't know why, but a cautious trust had formed bewteen Wrath and him.

Lifting his hand out, he gazed down at what lie now in his hand. It was a pale red organ. Dry and lifeless, Al's heart lie in Wrath's hand. Wrath took his left hand and reached to his chest. He grabbed the blade from Al's body and cut his own. Wrath looked at Ed as blood spilled on the white/grey sidewalk.

"Thanks." He muttered. "For making your mistake." He pulled the philosiphers stone from his body and slammed it in Al's heart, just as he went limp.

Ed knew what had to be done. He clapped his hands and put them on Al's heart. He felt so weird doing this. He put the heart back into the wound and closed his eyes. He had done it before.

He had to use his knowlage from using the stone inside Envy to preform his task. Mustering up his strength, he clapped his hands and set them on the wound. Power seeped from Ed and into Al as the wound began to close. Al's chest inflated as he took a breath. Ed looked back to Wrath and smiled. "You're welcome."

* * *

The hospital curtians were drawn once again. Ed watched his breath fog up the window as he breathed on it. People scurried by, dressed in tan and black, heavy coats. Ear-muffs covered their ears and hats and scarves covered their heads and necks. They shuffled along. Snow had been messily dumped to the left of each sidewalk, providing some room to walk without standing knee-deep in white fluff.

A nurse checked Al's vital signs and walked away, scribbling her observations down on a clipboard.

Ed watched, groggily, as Al slept. He wondered when the boy would wake.

Just as he thought he'd fall asleep when a nurse came back in. She walked to Ed and leaned down, whispering in his ear. Ed nodded and thanked the woman.

Right as she closed the door Al woke. He slowly lifted his head from his pillow and looked around.

Ed reached over and petted his head. "Morning." He yawned, smiling.

Al blinked a few times before smiling in turn. "Good morning, Brother." He streached and jumped off the bed.

Ed yawned again and stood up, putting his hands on his head. "There's somebody waiting for you out in the lobby. She wanted to come see you."

Al tipped his head. "Are you sure, Brother?"

"Yeah. I'm going to check on Hawkeye. Go ahead." Ed walked out of the room.

Al flicked his tail and trotted to the lobby. He saw a girl leaning on the counter.

She had vibrant red hair down to her shoulders. Her blue eyes shimmered in the dim light of the lobby. You could see the pain in her eyes. It only made Al want to comphort her. Her face was spotted with light brown freckles. She wore dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a dragon on it. A black jacket was wrapped around her arm as she stuck her hand in her pocket. Her left arm, however, was that of a lion's. A chimera's body part. Attached to this beautifull girl about the age of Al was a chimera's arm.

She was about 5"6 tall. And she defentitly caught the eye of Al.

Al walked over to her and introduced himself. They shook hands and she told him that her name was Jane Kitachiki.

Al guided her to a seat in the corner of the lobby.

"Thanks for coming down here." Jane said with a smile.

Al blushed. "No need. I was around, anyway."

Jane laughed. "I came to see you because you knew my mother."

"I-... I did?" Al asked skepticly.

"Yes. Surely you remember Madam Fate?"


	14. Daughter

**I PROMISE MORE AT BOTTOM! **

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT FMA! **

Al's eyes widened. "Ma... Madam Fate?" He stammered.

Jane nodded. "Yes. She is my mother. I heard from her that you would be in her presence. So, I naturally came. It was a bonus for both of us to have such an accedent."

Al looked down. "Yeah, but--"

"She is dead. I know. I came for you, Alphonse. I wanted to talk to you." Jane smiled.

Al lifted his head. "You... Did?"

"Yes. I wish to join you and your brother. I want to find answers for myself as well as you."

Al grinned thoughtfully. "What about your father? Won't he worry?" He asked.

"My father... He inlisted in the millitary and then was whisked away becuase he was badly injured during a raid. The enemy came into town and he faught them off. They told us he died, but I know what happened. They turned him into a chimera." Jane balled her hands into fists. "His name was Loa. They put him in a lab and made him part human, part ox." She looked up at Al. "And he was killed by your brother. Stabbed in the heart, accidentally. Your brother was trying to get the homunculus, Greed, and missed..." Jane felt a lump in her throat start to form.

"E-Ed did _what?! _How did you know?!" Al exclaimed.

"My mother read the future. She knew something was up." Jane said, standing up.

Al put a paw on her leg. "And, knowing that, you still want to travel with us?"

Jane nodded. "I want to help you." She confessed.

Ed, overhearing the conversation, was stunned. "Loa was her father?" He asked quietly. He tipped his blonde head out of the doorway. "Al!" He called.

Al's ears pricked up as he looked toward the hallway. "Brother?" He called in response.

"Pack up your stuff and bring your girlfriend along. We're leaving."

Al's face turned red. "Brother!" He yelled.

Jane laughed. She watched as Al leaped at Ed, and vanished into the hallway. She put a hand on her left arm. "Dad..." She whispered. "I've finally done just as you wanted me to." She looked at the ground with a claming pause in her eyes, and a dreamy look on her face. "I made a friend."

Ed laughed as Al tackled him down. He cuffed the blonde boy's cheek.

"Ed!" He playfully growled again.

Ed sat up on his elbows. "I heard what you and Jane were talking about."

"You do?" Al asked, sitting up and flicking his tail.

"I'm only saying yes to it becuase she's in the same suituation as you, and maybe I'll be able to piece it together better. And you need someone your age to be friends with." Ed added.

Al blushed. "Thanks... Brother."

Ed playfully scruffled Al's ears. "Yeah. Go get her and I'll get your stuff. Before I say anything further--" Ed's voice became serious and hard. "Do not become too attached to her. She isn't like Winry. You can't be become best friends."

Al nodded, feeling strange. He trotted off to Jane.

Ed walked back into Al's room. "I did kill her father, that I can't ignore. And even her mother. If Al gets too attached to her, she could trick him into using that _Rage_ power of his. I'ld surely be dead." Ed looked at his hands. "But the only concern of mine right now is solving that power. Perhaps that is the thing binding Al to the chimera's body."

Al nudged Jane. "Brother said you could come!" He exclaimed happily.

"You're willing to drag a twelve-year-old along with you?" Jane questioned.

Al blinked. "You're twelve? Wow."

Jane nodded, scruffling Al's mane. "Yeah, I am. Thanks. I've got some money with me."

Al nodded. "If you don't mind, how much?"

Jane dug around in her pocket. "Nine-hundred cenz."

Al eyed the shining change. _"I don't think Brother will mind tapping in a bit. We always had a lot of money back when I didn't eat. And it's not like she eats nearly as much as Brother does." _Al thought. He began to laugh.

"What?" Jane retorted playfully, slipping the coins back into her pocket.

"Oh, nothing. Just remembering something Brother did." Al said, turning and leading Jane back into the room.

_"If only you really knew, Alphonse..." _Jane thought, covering the darkened thoughts with a smile. "_If only you knew what I was."_

Ed smiled at Jane. "I'm Edward, Al's brother. Did you pack light?"

Jane grinned. "Aha ha ha. I'm Jane. Thanks for letting me come."

Ed shook her hand. "We're alchemists. Do you know the sort?" He asked, testing Jane's wit.

"Alchemists, as in people who minupulate alchemy into a combat style?" Jane cocked back.

Ed smiled a devious grin. "Minupulate is such a horrible word to use. I'd say... Reversed?"

Jane squinted. "Ah, I see. Does this mean you do something like this?" She asked, grabbing a piece of chalk from her pocket and sketching a picture of a dragon into the floor. On the dragon's forehead was a small transmutation circle. Jane put her palm on the dragon's forehead. It glowed a sickly white as a dragon rose from the ground. It was small, about the size of a pumkin, but it was an actuall 4-D dragon that breathed and growled. She ran her palm back over it and the dragon faded away.

Ed watched in astonishment.

* * *

**Hey, peeps. Whats up in the world of fanfiction? Anything new? Gotta know, gotta know. Keep me updated and keep reading, please! See you next chapter! **


	15. I Love You

**Hey! Long time no read! No, heh heh! Lol, anyway. I'm in a strangely good mood. I went and saw Twilight- New Moon. It was awesome, baby! I absolutely adore the song **_**Fireflies**_** by **_**Owl City**_**. It's so... I don't know. I just love it! ~To ten million fireflies, I'm weird 'cause I hate good-byes, I got misty eyes as they said fairwell, and I'll know where sevral are, if my dreams get real bizzare, because I saved a few and I keep them in a jar~ AHA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!! WeHeHeHeHe!!!! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned FMA, I'd be filthy rich, good at drawing, and making the Direct TV people put FullMetal Alchemist- Brotherhood on every. Single. ****Night. But because I don't, I'll have to sit around every Saturday, wondering when it will come on. XP! MEANIES! T.T ............ I own nothing said above. **

Jane smiled, happy with her skill.

Ed shook his head. "Unbelieveable. But what about equivellant exchange? I don't see how a living, breathing creature could be made from wood."

Jane cocked her head. "It's from Xing. The purifacation arts. The equevellant exchange part is from me. I use my energy and bring the creature to life. All that keeps the energy there is the circle. Once I bring my palm over it's head," Jane gestured the motion with her hand as she spoke. "it's like it goes away. I simply take my energy back. I don't even have to touch it." She boasted.

Ed nodded. "I see. It's amazing."

Al licked his paw. It was natural to him. "So... Brother, where are we going to, next?" He asked, knowing he would question what Ed had observed later.

"Ishbal. I need to find Scar's Brother's notes and books on what he did find. Maybe I'll have some clue on how to turn you back." Ed replyed, looking out the window.

Al would never tell Ed, let alone Jane, that he really, really enjoyed being in this body. Maybe he was forcing the feeling on himself, he thought. _Maybe it's because I don't want Brother to be hurt anymore_.

Al shrugged the thought off and simply nodded.

Jane, suddenly, colapsed to one knee.

Ed crouched beside her. "Jane! Are you okay?"

Jane whimpered and put a hand on her left arm. It was throbbing in pain. When Ed put his hand on it, a feeling of hot, burning lava pulsed threw him.

It was the same pain he had felt when Al was human and clawed him across the chest. When Al had spelled _Rage_.

Al was right beside her. He nudged her. "Jane, please..." He asked, not sure of what to say.

Jane looked up. Tears slid down her face.

Al suddenly knew why he saw what he had seen in her eyes before he talked to her. This pain lingered in her entire body, not just her eyes. "How many times?" He questioned gently, knowing she knew what he ment.

"Three," She coughed, her words weak. "How did you know?"

There was a sense between both of them. A moment where each read the other's thoughts. A moment where the flare of their eyes locked.

_I know it hurts. _Al said, cautiously. He was amazed he wasn't freaking out. For once, he was odd and it was normal. Like he knew what to do.

_I knew you wern't like your Brother. _Jane answered. _You could tell in your eyes. _

_I could say the same thing. Can I make the pain go away? _Al wanted nothing other than to make her feel safe.

_All you had to do was look in my eyes, Al. Just looking at you makes me feel okay. _Jane was smiling now.

Al hadn't the words to say after that. All he did was blush.

_Thank you._ Jane's words were almost like good-bye.

It was no sooner than Ed blinked did they look away. He wondered how long their chat was.

"About a second." Jane sheepishly muttered.

Her voice had been so strong when they were talking. Why was it so weak now?

"You know." She answered.

_Can she read my mind_? Wondered the chimera boy.

"Yes."

Ed looked oddly at the two. Why was she talking so out of setting?

Jane smiled and wished she could answer. But the feeling inside her made her mind wander off. It was such a warm feeling. It was a growing compassion. She turned and looked at the chimera-boy staring at her, worry in his eyes. It made her heart swell and a smile etch upon her face.

Al blushed as her words entered his mind. The two were tellepaths, destinened to read one another's minds.

_Thank-you._ She said again, knowing Al knew what she ment.

_I hope you know I could never say it in words. _

_Why? It's simple._ Jane retorted.

Al shook his head. _When you've been reading people's minds for your entire life, I could see it easy then, maybe. _

_Al, _Jane gently scolded. _**You're **__the __**only**__ person I've ever done this with. _

Al blinked and blushed harder. _I... I need to let my head settle. _

Jane respected that and backed away. She sensed that Ed had no idea of what was going on, and why his little brother kept blushing. He just shook his head.

"When does the train leave?" Asked the girl.

Ed looked back at the window. "I don't know. Are you okay now?"

"Yes, she is." Al answered, peeling the words streight from Jane's mind.

_Hey._ Jane snorted, looking over at Al. _I thought you needed to 'let your head settle'? _

_Yeah, __**I **__did._ Al laughed. _But __**you**__ didn't. _

_You're a natural. _Jane laughed along with him.

Ed watched oddly. He'd ask later what the stares and chuckles were for. That is, _if_ he got a word alone with Alphonse.

Al walked snugly beside Jane as they checked out in the lobby. Ed led the two to an eatery.

Jane ordered very little. She got a small chicken pot pie. Ed ordered a tall soda(A/N: Probabbly to make up for his lack in height! LOL!), a plate of french-fries, and a bowel of ramen. (A/N: Mixed traditions, huh?) Al got a small piece of rare-cooked steak and a small bowel of milk. He still wasn't sure what his body would handle, food-wise.

They all ate silently. At least, thats what it apeared to be.

_Al?_ Jane asked.

Al turned his head to the redhead. _I wish we wouldn't keep this from Brother._ He said honestly as he nibbled on a corner of the cut.

Jane nodded, poking at the crust of her pot-pie. She lifted a part of it that her fork had stabbed into and a puff of steam blew gently at her nose. She giggled at it and brushed her nose with her index finger.

Al smiled. He never realised how _cute_ she was.

Ed chomped and slurped loudly. He payed no attention to his young brother and the girl beside him.

_I can't fall for somebody two years younger than me. _Al warned.

_I'n thirteen. _Jane informed.

Al turned to look at her. _Really? But, you said that-- _

_I know what I said. They could hear me. Do you really think they'd resist a twelve-year-old asking to see a sick Elric Brother? If I were any older, that would be just odd._ Jane cut Al off, laughing as she told him.

Al sighed and kept his laughter inside of him. _Yeah, you're right. I just wish Brother knew. _

_Yeah, but he can't. _

_Why?_ Asked the younger Elric.

_Al, I can only tell you that I am not human. _

_Yeah. Because you're part Chimera, right?_ Al's inner-laugh sounded partly scared.

_No. My left arm, thank god, gives me the apearence of being part-chimera. But, really, it marks me as an outsider. _Jane said quietly, secretly placing a hand on her left arm.

_Outsider? _Al questioned.

_In my clan, of my kind, we have laws. I'm breaking a magor one as we speak. _

Al pricked his ears up as he felt an uneasy pit start to open up. Maybe this was why he thought Ed needed to know. Because he was going to be pulled into something wrong. Something bad.

_Clan...? _Al gulped nervousily.

Jane nodded. She was starting to sense the worry, the pure _fear_ in Al's mind and thoughts. But he absolutely _needed_ know this.

_It's my world. I came because I sensed your specific aura. It's the aura of a ledgend. The ledgened needed to be brought back to life so our clan can once again be normal. But if they found out I broke two rules, then I'd be slaughtered. _Jane looked down.

_No! _Al called out. He couldn't help but blurt it out._ Uhh, I mean, w-what rules? _

_The ledgend states the red-haired damsel is supposed to fall in love with the prince at first sight. He is the prince of the animal kingdom. _

Al looked at her with worried eyes. _Animal Prince? What are you saying, Jane? _Al asked nicely. It wasn't anything rude at all.

Jane nodded. She leaned down and grabbed his cheek gently, pulling it towards her. She leaned in and in a huskey whisper said the most wondeful words Al had heard in a long time.

"I love you."


	16. Witch

**Sorry for the screw-up. Seriously. Go back and check those chapters. It'll do you some good. I know what you're thinking, **_**Aww, man! A love story?!?**_**, but I'll let you in on a thing:... It's what Jane doesn't say that brings the death of a certian blondie. Heh heh heh... **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. XP. Okay? Allright? Geeze. **

* * *

Ed blinked and fell out of his seat. "Whatdidjasay?!" He exclained, his words slurring together.

Al was as red as a tomato in the face and his ears were flat agenst his head. He dared to look her in the eyes, wanting to say the words ranting threw his head verbally.

Jane didn't try to enter his thoughts. She simply sat back up and nibbled some food. "Nothing, Ed. I was just asking him if you always eat this much." She giggled.

_That wasn't what you were going to say. _Al thought, knowing he wouldn't get a reply.

She looked at him and giggled at again.

Ed folded his arms and sat back on his chair again. "Yeah, I do." He said proudly, yet defensivly.

Jane glanced at the sky. "It's time for the train to leave." She noted.

Sure enough, there was a loud whistle. The three scattered from their eatery and bought their tickits. As soon as they aproached the train, it started moving. Faster and faster.

"Crap!" Ed shouted, knowing he was loosing his mad dash.

Jane scribbled something on each of her palms with her chalk and shoved them outward, as if she were placing her hands on the train itself, allthough it was about fifty feet away. The train jerked backwords and halted at their feet. She shoved the brothers on and clapped her hands, brushing the transmutation circles off. The train jerked again and started moving.

"Purification arts." She said, answering both of their unspoken questions. Ed looked at the train condutor, then at all the passengers, and wondered why they didn't seem to know what had just happened.

Jane noticed Al staring at her.

_What... What _are_ you? _He asked by just a glance.

_A... Witch. _She answered bluntly.

_... Witch? As in, Wizard Witch? _

_No. Just a Witch. You know-- Crystal ball, owl, potions, crystals, black dress and feathery hat? That kind. The good kind. _Jane retorted thoughtfuly, as she picked out a seat from the rows of empty ones.

Al blinked. He stared, wide-eyed. The daughter of Madam Fate was a witch. _I never would have guessed. _

_Does this change anything? _

Al snuggled closer to the witch. _Naw. As long as you don't bind me with a spell. _He thought, jokeingly.

She blocked her thoughts for a split second from Al. _If only you really knew. _

Ed soon fell asleep, leaving time for some snuggling. She put her arms around his neck, because he couldn't, and rested her head on his big and fluffy mane. Her eyes were a clear and calm blue; not as calm as before though. But Al didn't mind. She was cute, streightforward, and kind. What more could any 14-year-old want?

Jane knew the train was going to stop at Resembool before Ishbal. Probabbly because it was close to Central, and most of the tourests that spent good money on the train ride wern't too eager to veiw what was most likely the ugliest part of the desert anyone could imagine. They were lucky that the train conductor didn't question their reasons for going.

Al told Jane that he was going to use the restroom(and she didn't want to ask how) while the train was stationed for a half-an-hour(the conductor's lunch break, allthough it was some time past noon), and that he would be back in a minute.

Ed was still asleep when Al got off. Jane looked at the teen. At his golden blonde hair falling over his face, at his smoothe skin, and wondered. It was always a part of herself that she didn't have much self-control over. And so, she found herself sitting right beside Ed, with one long and sharp claw on her left hand, gently tracing lines on Ed's smoothe neck. Not enough to make any sort of mark, but not enough to feel. She felt an urge nipping at her from the inside out. And that's when she did it. She swiftly nicked his skin with her claw. A trickle of red gracefully fell down, right onto her waiting finger. She brought the finger to her mouth. The red drop rolled onto her soft, moist lips, loosing it's red color. She gently licked them, murmering under her breath, just one single, low note that vibrated in her ears. Another drop fell down to her again waiting finger. She brought her pink tounge to the finger and licked it, feeling a daze of warmpth pulse threw her. _Just one more,_ she thought. _Just one more. _After sevral more, she pulled herself away and pulled a lock of golden hair over the small cut. No need in anybody finding out, right?

Ed sturried a bit, but showed no signs of truely knowing what had just gone on and being awake.

Al came on just as Jane had settled back in her seat comphortly. He felt a blast of warmpth pass threw him. It was Jane's aura. He was suprised it didn't wake Ed. But, then again, Ed wasn't like him. Al decided Ed had slept enough and went to woke him. He shook his leg.

Ed's head fell slightly to his shoulder as his chest remained still. Al put a hand on his wrist. No. Pulse.


	17. Please Wake Up

**He he... I could be real mean and stall you right now, or at the end... But I'll be nice. I'll put a bit more at the bottom, as always. ;D **

**Dislcaimer: I do not own FMA or the beatings I will recieve in this and last chapter... If you wanna' know what happens, that is, don't beat me. PLEASE!!!!!! **

Roy nearly ripped the steering-wheel from the black car as it lurched around a corner. The speedomiter was climbing from 40 to 50, then 50 to 60, and so on. His knuckles were turning a ghostly white as his eyes were locked in tunnel vision on the road ahead of him. Riza held onto the dash, her stomach also lurching with every turn. If the Colonel didn't calm down, the windshield was going to turn green with chunks of cerial sticking to it.

Roy whipped the car into gear, driving faster and harder as the faint sound of sirens began to echo throughout his ears. He slammed on the breaks and the car squealed to a halt, just behind a red-and-while striped ambulance. He bounded out the car before Riza could even open her door. He slammed the black, metal door with a loud _slam_ as he sprinted to the paramedics. His chest heaved in and out, his breaths long and deep, as he asked where the Fullmetal Alchemist was. He looked to his left to see Alphonse, broken down in tears, wrapped in a tan blanket, and a redhead in handcuffs being stuffed into the back of a black car. Roy walked to Al, to see black streaks wetting his whole face(A/N: Some animals, when they cry, their fur turns black from the tears. Especially in cats. Just a little info. if you didn't know.). He was shaking uncontrolably and couldn't help himself.

Officers had to hold him back as the strecher was taken out of the train. Al managed to pull free and grabbed Ed's body. Roy convinced the other officers to let him hold Ed for a moment. When the time came, they had to tear the corpse from the chimera. Al was a wet and shaking mess.

Roy frowned. "Hawkeye." He said, turning to Riza.

"Sir." She streightened.

"Can you comphort Alphonse? It's breaking my heart to see them act so cautious around him." Roy muttered.

Riza looked down. "Sir, I wouldn't know how."

"Call Ms. Winry. Explain the news and tell her that Alphonse needs her to be strong." Roy ordered.

Riza nodded and went off to do the task.

Al buried his head in the gravel as he sobbed and shook. His eyes burned and his throat stung and his head hurt and his stomach was squeezing itself in knots. His heart ached and his legs were simply not going to work, so he knew not how he was going to get up. He was lightheaded.

_**"HE HAS BEEN FOUND WHAT?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?" **_

"I am very sorry, Ms. Rockbell. But the reason we're calling to tell you so early is because of Alphonse. He's in very bad shape." Riza twined the phone cord around her finger.

"Is he hurt?" Winry asked, her voice shaking and cold.

"No, but he's an emotional wreck. We're not sure how he'd act towards us, so... Please come down here and help us. We're begging you."

"I'll be coming. I just want to know what to be prepaired for. How is he?"

"All I know is that his skin is very pale and there was a small cut found on his neck, almost as if something drained the blood from him. Other than that, well..." Riza let go of the cord. "I must go. Please come from Central as soon as possible." Riza hung up, feeling the words stick to her throat.

Winry barely placed the phone on it's base before sliding down the wall and breaking into tears. Then she thought of what she'd been asked to do. She'd been asked to comphort Al. How could she do that if she were a wreck herself? She gathered her thoughts and went to the train station, all the while thinking of how big a deal this was.

The train ride was long and painful as she arrived at Resembool. She saw no other officers other than Riza and Roy, then Al in a crumpled heap beside the two.

Winry aproached them.

"Thanks for coming, Ms. Rockbell." Roy said genuinely, cupping his hands around her right fist. She immediatly eased her hand.

"You're welcome." She turned to Al. "Al?"

Al didn't look up when she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"He hasn't been talking to us, either." Riza explained.

Winry nodded. "He's like this when he's upset. I'll take him to an apartment I have personally rented for whenever I come and work here."

"Good. If he doesn't eat by tomorrow, bring him to us." Riza turned and walked away.

* * *

Al sat on the floor in a corner. He kept his face buried in his paws. Winry was in the kitchen. She was working over the stove when she heard, for the fourth or fifth time, a mad scatter to the bathroom.

_Why is he throwing up so much?_ Winry thought, concirned. She watched as Al stumbled back to the corner and started to shake again, until he ran back into the bathroom.

_Al. _

Al looked around, weakly.

_Al. _

His ears pricked up a little bit.

_Al! _

_Juh... Jane...? _

_Stop acting so weird. Do you forget what I am? _

Al felt just a little stronger, telepathicly. _A witch. But that doesn't help my Brother. _

_Hel-lo? A _**Witch**._ We're talking about a Witch here. One that knows powers and crystals and potions and stuff like that. In what world _couldn't_ a witch bring something back to life? _

_The world that lives by the laws of equivelant exchange, I guess. _Al shook his head.

_My part of the exchange is my time and energy. Two for one, right? Equivelant enough. _Jane's voice was happy.

_Are you going to bring Brother back? _Al asked exitedly.

_Once I get let out of here. They think I did something. _

Al was too happy to hear that his brother would be alive to notice anything else.

_Go and eat and catch some sleep. I can tell that you're weak. And remember this-- _**I'm** _your girlfriend. Not the blondie in the kitchen. Okay? _

Al was also happy to hear that. _I don't want her, so don't worry, please. I want you, Jane. I need you. And Winry is Brother's. We just know that without having to say anything. I respect that fully. _

_Good._ Jane said. _I love you. _

Al guessed, that since she was qualifing herself as his girlfriend, he must be her boyfriend(or something close), so he aught to say it back. Yet this time there was no hesitation. It was normal again. _I love you, too. Goodnight. _

_Goodnight. _

Al got up and walked to Winry. He brushed agenst her. She smiled. He was, slowly, going back to his old self.

"Al," She bent down.

Al looked up at her.

She gently wiped away a stain from his eyes. "Are you going to be okay?"

Al didn't answer. He hadn't found the strength to talk.

Winry understood. "Ed loved you very much, you do know that, right?" She went on when he bobbed his head. "Ed only wanted you to be safe." She was staring to choke up. "He wanted nothing but the world for you. He--"

She stopped when she felt a paw on her arm. "I know. I have this figured out. And it's high time I repay him for saving me. He hasn't been dead long."

"Al, don't you dare tell me--"

"Winry." Al looked her in the eyes. She stopped. There was a fire in his eyes. A fire that paralized her.

Al got up and closed his eyes. _Jane. Where are you? _

_I'm coming. All we need is the body. _

_Okay. _Al bounded from the apartment room and out into the street. He looked to the shadows to see Jane slowly stepping out.

But it wasn't Jane.

It was a see-threw spirit of her.

_Al. I couldn't come physicaly. So I sent my soul with you. Witches can do that. _

Al nodded. "Where is he?" He asked verbally.

_At HQ. He's about to have an autopsiy. We need to get there before they start. _

Al nodded and dashed down the road. He ran like a cheetah chasing an antolope. Or faster. Jane's spirit folowed just as fast.

It was then they came up behind the building. It was luck that nobody was patrolling the borders.

Jane put her ghostly hands on Al's back. He suddenly became transparent, like her. They easily glided threw the wall. She took her hands away and Al became normal. Al thanked her. They crept down the hallway into a room that no other person was supposed to know.

On a table lie a short, blonde-haired body with a blanket over the top. Jane turned to Al.

_Just act natural with this. I need your body to do this. _

Her spirit merged with Al and she had conrtol. She worked her way to Ed's corpse and put Al's hands on Ed's body. A sweep of power pulsed threw all of them. A huge crack of white and blew exploded into the air.

Onto the floor fell two silent brothers. And only a hushed wisper could be heard.

_Oh, Lord. Please wake up. _


	18. Unexpected Visitor

**More at the bottom! I'm going to start doing that, allright? How about you vote on it. Top message, or bottom message? I'll talley the results and tell you which I'm going to start doing, 'kay? **

**Dislcaimer: I do not own FMA, or I probabbly would know how to draw well and spell well and would have my own laptop instead of this piece of junk ****computar. But, what can I say? It does what I need it to, and that's all I really need. But I still want one............................................................................... T.T**

Light burst into his eyes. He blinked a few times before sitting up. His chest was heavy and hurting, but he was able to look around. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, but he managed to get a clear head. He looked to his side to see a fuzzy lion-crocodile creature. And then it hit him. He shook the chimera, yet it wouldn't wake.

"Al! Al!" Ed shouted.

Ed was silenced by a hand that he couldn't see wrapping around his mouth.

_Shush, you'll make a scene. _

"What?" Ed murmered.

_Don't fight me. Just listen, if you want him awake. I had to do this to you, and it was pretty draining. Just be calm and act natural, okay? _

Ed nodded. He felt his body be taken over, yet he could still see and talk. He just felt light and dizzy as he watched himself be pulled closer to Al, and his mouth open and his teeth curve into Al's neck. He felt a power drain from him, and he wasn't dizzy anymore.

Al's eyes cracked open, and he sucked in oxygen. Ed grabbed him and clung on.

"Al, Al," Ed put his head on Al's shoulder. "are you okay?"

Al nodded. "Ed, you were dead..."

Ed blinked and pulled away. "What?"

"You were found dead on the train. You died in your sleep. Then Jane brought you back." Al stuttered, a smile on his face and tears forming in his eyes.

"What?" Ed repeated. "Jane _brought_ me back? Impossible."

"She's a Witch, Edward." Al shook his head.

Ed's eyes widened and he felt his heart drop. It had been quite a while since Al had ever called him by his given name. "A Witch?"

Al nodded. "It seems like it's unreal, but--"

Ed put his hand on Al's shoulder. "If you said a Witch brought me back, then a Witch brought me back. No questions asked. I'm just glad to be back."

Al smiled wider and nuzzled his nose under Ed's hand, much like a cat would do when it wanted to be petted. He closed his eyes.

"You know, you've been begging me for a cat for so long. And now-- You're your own." Ed laughed.

Al cuffed his arm gently. "Yeah, I guess. But... What now?"

"Let's just tell them that I was practicing some alchemy from Xing that didn't have the right effect. You tried it-- And I woke up. Okay?"

Al nodded.

Ed whimsily stood up, using Al for support. They sneekily made their way down the hall and to Roy's office. Ed knocked on the door.

Roy, who was at his desk, looked up. He suspected it was Al. What could he do? Al was upset beause of Ed's death, and--

_"Colonel! Hurry up and open the door!" _

A smile spread across Roy's lips. _I knew you wern't dead, Fullmetal. _He thought as he slipped from his black chair and across the room to open the locked door. He opened it to see Ed, grinning, and Al, behind him. He guided Ed to an empty chair in front of his desk. Al, however, sat at Ed's feet, like a very loyal dog.

Roy sat at his desk and put his chin in his hands, trying to cover his smile. "Care to explain why you worried half of the millitary, Fullmetal?"

"Only half? I thought it was the whole town." To that, Ed got a skeptic glance from Al. He just smiled and kept his eyes glued at Roy.

Roy chuckled a bit. "Don't get full of yourself."

"Oh, I'm sorry. There's no way _I'd_ ever want to do _your_ job, Colonel." Ed retorted, his smile turning to a grin.

"You better not." Roy folded his arms. "But, make sure you _do_ explain this. I need to decide weather or not I'm going to do a report."

"Don't you have to?" Al piped in.

"There's no need in waisting my time on something the Furher won't believe. So start talking." Mustang shifted his gaze from Al to Ed.

Ed took in a deep breath. "You know that me and Al are studying the purification arts from Xing."

"Why?" Mustang asked.

"So that we can find a way to help somebody we know." Al blurted out.

"Somebody you know, huh? Care to fill me in?" Roy narrowed his eyes.

"We bumped into her at the library." Ed lied. "She was sick and Al wanted to help her. So I tapped into the medical arts a bit. She had a type of cancer."

Roy shifted in his seat. "Cancer... There's no cure for it yet. How come all of a sudden...?"

"Because Al wouldn't let me say otherwise. Besides, she was nice, and offered us a bed and meals if we reasearched. Rooms are expensive." Ed looked down at Al.

"And she had red hair, correct?" Roy questioned.

Ed nodded. "She lives in Rush Valley. I told her we had to make a stop in Xing, and she offered to come with us. I didn't say no. Al told her about a transmutation that we found and she wanted to try, because Al wasn't feeling well. I didn't think Al was strong enough to preform alchemy, anyways. She wasn't used to the feeling and tried it on me and screwed up. Al found me in here and tried it. It counter-acted the effect and my heart started working again."

Roy nodded. "But I do have some desturbing news. I just got the call, before you two came in. Her name was Jane Kitachiki, correct?"

Ed nodded and put his hand in his chin.

"We had her captive, since we didn't figure Al would 'kill' you. When they opened up her cell, she was found dead."

"I left the train to use the bathroom after she did that. I just thought Ed fell asleep. I don't know the effect it would do on Ed, but... We hoped for some sort of result." Al looked down. "I came and found him dead."

Ed put a hand on Al's head. "Go ahead and tell the rest of HQ that I'm alive. I'm leaving."

Roy put up a hand. "Fullmetal, watch it. I'm sure the homunculi have heard about your death and how Alphonse is an easy target. Keep an eye on him."

Ed nodded. "I don't understand, Colonel. I was dead-- You saw it. So why don't you think I'm one of those homunculi and attack me?"

"Don't go giving me any reasons. And I can tell it in your eyes. No homunculus could ever immitate the fire that burns in them." Roy sneered, getting up. "But, for concerns of your brother, I'd seriously concider leaving him under millitary eye."

"What?" Ed stuttered. "No! No way, Mustang! Al stays with me! If I would've been by his side, he wouldn't have been attacked by Wrath!"

"But Riza was." Roy snapped.

"And look what happened! They both were hurt! Do you really think a couple of you would be able to stop something that doesn't die!?"

Roy was in Ed's face. "Do you really think you'd be willing to put Alphonse in danger? Gamble his life? It was only lucky that Wrath saved him! You really think any of the others would do that?"

Ed gulped. He ran out of options.

Roy grabbed Ed's shirt collar. "Edward, stop thinking like a kid! I'm ordering you leave without Alphonse!"

"No!" Ed hollared back.

Roy balled his hand into a fist and aimed at Ed.

The sound of a crunch filled his ears before he fell to his knees.

Al tore away, standing in front of Ed, growling. Al had broke Roy's arm.

Roy threw a punch with his left hand and smacked Al in the side of his head. Al cried out and stammered back, his face red and swollen. He whimpered and crouched behind Ed.

"Fullmetal, contain that beast!" Called a new voice.

She fired two shots-- One into Ed's arm, one into Al's shoulder.

Riza was at Mustang's side in a flash. Roy had left the intercom on; So everybody at HQ had heard that Ed was alive.

Ed was okay. At least, he thought he was. He put his left hand on his right arm, huffing. He looked over at Al, who was whimpering quietly. Ed leaned over and put a hand on his head.

"It's okay, Al. It really is. We'll have you patched up in no time. Hang in there." Ed spoke softly, as if he was talking to a child. In his eyes-- He was.

Al nodded and looked at Riza.

"Go, Ed. Get out of here." She pushed the two out.

Ed and Al limped down the hall. They were just about to round a conrner, when they heard a loud whimper.

Ed looked around the edge and saw what he wished he never had.

The long, green-haired homunculus stepped up to Ed. He was holding a chain. On the end of the chain was a dog.

It wasn't any ordinary dog. It was wearing auto-mail. And it was black. And it's tag on it's collar glinted in the dark.

Ed could read the three-letter name on it.

His eyes widened.

And he could only say one thing.

"D-Den..?"


	19. Death

**I don't know the results, so... He he... Tippy top or rock bottom be the author's note? He he, very good mood I in. Very good! Very good! Long chapter! chapter! Either that or very short chappie! Chappies and chapters and YAY! This is what you get when YouTube, the song **_**Carmelldansen**_**, and sugar is introduced to DragonsRuleYourDreams12 and her Internet! Yay! I'll have fun coming up with chappie that is serious! YEAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY! I FUN HAVE WRITE! NO SENSE! CHAPPY SENSE NO MAKE! NEW SPELLING! CHAPPY AND CHAPPIE AND CHAPPIES AND CHAPPYS AND CHAPTER AND CHAPTERS! NO SENSE DOES IT MAKE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IIIIIIIIITTTTTTT MMMMMMMMAAAAAAKKKKKEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **

**Disclaimer: I talk in third person, and DragonsRuleYourDreams12 does not own Fullmetal Alchemist, YouTube, Carmelldansen, nor Internet! Wehehehehe!!!**

"Envy..." Spat Ed.

Envy grinned. "Yes, Fullmetal Runt. And lookie' here! I also have your friends' dog." He pulled the chain hard and made Den yelp.

Ed gritted his teeth. "The dog has nothing to do with me and you, Envy!"

"So?" The Homunculus put his hands on his hips. "You're here. I'm here. I have the dog. You want the dog. I think it has a lot to do with us, Runt."

"What do you want?" Growled the blonde.

"Oh so many things, Edward. But, I guess I have to go to the top of my list. I want you to kill Gluttony." Envy smiled.

"One of your own?" Ed questioned. "Why?"

"Well, the Big Guy's a lot of weight on my shoulders. Lust don't want 'em. And I just couldn't do it. Besides, I like that you have enough power to kill one of us. I want it. All you have to do is wipe him out and I'll know how to harvest it."

"And what if I don't?" Edward tested.

"Oh so many options. I could kill this pup. Then use it's corpse as a wrecking ball and take out the chimera." Envy looked over at Al.

"Al isn't just some chimera." Ed defended.

"Are you sure about that? I mean, he is one of them, like it or not. And everybody else sees him as filth. I mean, didn't Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, the _Colonel_, call him a 'beast'?" Envy twirled the chain in his fingers.

"Shut up!" Ed lunged at the homunculi. He clapped his hands and summoned a pillar, which rose in front of Envy.

Envy laughed and hopped over it. He yanked on the chain and Den, helplessly, came forward. Envy picked Den up and held him in front of himself. "You'd really go through the dog to get to me?"

Ed looked over his shoulder, at Al. Al was on the floor, trying to stay on his feet. He saw the trickle of blood coming from his injured shoulder. He looked back again to see Envy had gone. He flipped back around, only he was too late. He heard a loud _crack_.

The sound of Envy snapping a neck.

A body fell to the floor. A lifeless body. One with fur and claws and blue eyes. Envy stood over it, swinging the chain. "Any last requests?" He snickered.

Ed's heart dropped as he tried to move closer to Envy, but his legs buckled and visions of the two playing when they were younger filled his head. Down by the creak. Or at the house. He was always there. It wouldn't, just _couldn't_ be. He had to be alive. But his chest didn't move at all. His eyes were sunken in and pale and endless as he lay sprawled across the floor.

Envy stepped a few feet in front of the corpse and laughed again. Just laughed. He held the chain high in the air and was about to lash it down on Ed, when--

He felt a stabbing pain to his left leg. A lion's jaws were snapped around it.


	20. Hospitalized Again

**What? Is anybody reading anymore? Gosh! Okay, so, I still haven't heard from you guys in a while. It makes me feel like a terrible author. T.T I have nothing much else to say. And I'm going to have a lot more action with Ed, okay? Sorry for signaling around Al so much. He's my favortie character, the one I relate most to, so I just tend to write more about him. Any suggestions? Are you liking the bit about Jane and Madam Fate? Or no? And are Al and Ed a little OC, or right on? I need the feedback, please. And I love reviews. Please, please review! Even flames! Although I don't care much for them, I know I can always improve. So please read and review! Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: No matter how much I beg and plead and cry, I will never, ever, ever, ever, never, ever, ever, never, ever, never, ever, ever, never, own FMA. **

Envy hissed and kicked free, leaping back. Al's jaw was forced back, which cracked uneagerly. He yelped as he was smacked to the wall. Ed knew that the injured, young chimera wouldn't make it more than two or three more blows to the abdomen and up. And that seemed to be Envy's first target. Ed analyzed his situation. He clapped his hands and summoned three walls to surround and protect Al as he recovered from shock. Envy laughed and bounded towards Ed, swinging his fists. Ed clapped his hands again and made himself a largr spear. Envy smacked it with the back of his hand and cracked the spear in two. Ed was weak and dizzy because he hadn't eaten any food or drinken any water, his arm was throbbing wildly, and he was sick with worry about Al.

Envy looked to his left and smiled wikidly. He ran past Ed, fleading the scene. A dozen millitary officers filled the hallway, three of them picking Ed up and leading him away, the other nine surrounding Al with their guns pointed. Ed's heart stopped.

_Are they going to shoot him? Is it out of defense? _He asked himself. He felt the urge to fight off the officers, but was too weak. Instead, he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Don't shoot him!" He called. It was all he could do.

One officer looked back and nodded at Ed as he was whisked down the hall. The next thing he knew he was dead asleep in a hospital bed.

But he woke again to Winry standing over him, then felt her arms wrap around him. She was crying. Ed shook her off of him and looked her in the eyes. "Al." He said. "Where is he?"

"In the E.R. He had to have surgery to have the bullet in his shoulder removed, his shouder bone pieced together, then his jaw and arm set."

Ed's eyes widened. He had decided a long time ago(A/N: About ten minutes, lol) that Riza would be paying Al and his's medical bill for the bullet, but he never would've imagined it would've done that much damage.

"And you had to have stitches since the bullet in your arm had to be removed, then they had to put a tube in your arm because of dehydration. I can't believe you're alive." She hugged him again and smiled.

The door opened and Roy walked in. He was wearing a cast. "Fullmetal."

Ed glared at him. "LT. Hawkeye _is_ going to pay Al's medical bill, because--"

"I know." Roy agreed. "I'll pay the fee for both of you. What would that be, 1,800 cenz?" He offered, butting in.

Ed stared at him weirdly. "You know?" He repeated.

Roy nodded again. "Al got defensive. Animal instinct. I shouldn't have smacked him. And Riza shouldn't have shot him. But that's not the matter at hands. Magor Armstrong was talking to your brother just a minute ago." Roy sat down in a seat just by the window, in the corner.

"And?" Ed wondered aloud.

"Alphonse told us that he didn't feel like he belonged here."

Ed shook his head. "What?"

"We treat him like a wild animal. It's cruel. I can tell it in his eyes. And it's cruel. I honestly am sorry for our behavior. Please let me pay in full for you the medical bill. And lunch and breakfast at any place of your choice. Plus, I'm giving you a week off to do anything you desire. No report needed." Roy coughed.

Ed smiled. "When you apologise, you apologise."

"It's not because of your rank, Fullmetal. It's because it's high time you boys get a decent piece of the pie we all induldge in here. That and then some, because you've worked the hardest." Roy also smiled

Ed folded his arms. "Yeah, and you're going to milk this gravey train too, aren't you, Colonel?"

"It will give me a nice rise in my salary, and parhaps some brownie points with the Furher, seeing as you sometimes report to him. We've been doing wrong, also." Roy stood up.

Ed sighed. "Yeah, I guess. And anything extra if I need it. Then I'll throw a few good comments to the Furher. But first I have to see Al. I need his opinion. I can't just use him for my needs."

Winry looked down. She sniffled.

Ed looked at her. "Hey, hey..." He put a hand on her arm.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She stuttered.

Ed looked puzzled. "What?" He asked, gently.

"Why didn't you? I could've, could've..." Her voice broke.

"You could've _what_, Winry?" Ed put both hands on her shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me that those dirty hom-homunculus had Den, Ed? Why didn't you?" Tears streamed down her face.

Ed's hands slid down her arms and onto his own lap. He looked away. "I... I'm sorry." He murmered.

Roy even averted his gaze. "Ed was doing you good, Ms. Rockbell."

Winry snapped her head up to look at him. "_Dooing me good?_"

Roy closed his eyes, feeling the sorrow and fury in Winry's stare as it melted on him. "Yes."

Winry looked down again. "Can you... Can you at least tell me how Den... Den died?"

Roy sighed and looked to Ed for aproval, who nodded in turn. "We believe the homunculus further named Envy had..." Roy looked at Winry, who was biting her lip. "Had snapped you dog's neck."

Winry gasped and buried her face in Ed's arm.

Roy streightened. "Ms. Rockbell, your dog's death was quick and painless. He suffered worse, having been dragged around with the homunculus. If he had not been killed then and there, he might've suffered far more and would not have turned up. Envy's whole goal was based on murdering the dog, Miss. Please execpt our apologies."

Winry pulled herself away and stood. She turned to the door and slowed down.

She turned to look back at Ed, then Roy. "Thank you, Mr. Colonel, for telling me." She walked into another room.

Al looked around, sheepishly. The bracelet that was latched around his wrist was annoying. He shouldn't have to wear some kind of a marker letting others know that he was in the hospital. After all, he _was_ in the hospital.

Winry walked in.

Al smiled and looked up. "Winry!" He called.

She smiled and put her hand on his head. "Al, c'mon. You need a bath, at least to get that dirt and blood from your coat. Then, how about lunch?"

"You're being awfully nice." Al noted.

Winry just helped him from his bed. _Because I heard that your friend was found dead. I only hope you already know, Al. _She thought.


	21. The Truth He Doesn't Know

**What's up, peoples? Not reading anymore? Please! I've gotten no reviews. At. All. So am I just reading to make myself happy? Please. Read. Look, I've had a tough time with people looking into only themselves. Did I say people? I mean eveybody. My family(not you, yuki-neechan), friends, teachers, classmates, everybody. Literally. If my dog doesn't start acting good(as in stop biting and growling at us), we'll have to get rid of him. And right now, he's the only friend I have that I can hug. So when I spend my time writing and thinking of plots and other stuffs, then nobody even reads, well... It makes my sun a little damper, okay? Please read. Please tell you friends about it. From one person who's just looking for a happy holiday to another. Your kindness will be greatly apreiciated. And, hey, colorfulquirkcuteanimefan, where'd you go? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, and never will, at least until they think of selling the entire company to a kid. And even then, I don't think I'll own it. So..........**

"Consult with Alphonse?" Roy raised an eye-brow skepticly, sitting down again.

Ed narrowed his eyes and plastered a frown on his face. "Oh, come on, Colonel. You know as well as I do that what I said was only a diversion to get Winry out of the room."

"Last time I checked," Roy shifted slowly in his seat. "_I_ was the one to get Ms. Rockbell out of the room."

Ed shook his head. "What does it matter? I don't care how big of a bonus you give me."

Roy's expression faded to confusion. "I thought you were quite happy with my offer."

"Winry hates it when I argue with you. And I didn't feel like arguing with both of you. So I lied. I could care less about what you do." Ed spat.

"Come on, Fullmetal. Be rational about this, will you?" Roy folded his arms.

"I am. And I quit." Ed threw his statement out as if it were something that would effect the Colonel.

"I don't think you heard me last time when I said that you_ can't_." Roy closed his eyes, somewhat pleased with his answer.

"And why not? It's not like you _need_ a kid in the millitary!" Ed exclaimed.

"I don't mean us, Fullmetal." Roy's tone was serious, unlike before. "The millitary isn't just here to prevent wars breaking out. We're here for the people. And the people are the reason why we use alchemy, not for combat. But we minupulated it, and we shouldn't have. We demonstrate the proper way to use the gift nature gave us and the way nature intended. We founded the laws of alchemy based on the people. Quitting the millitary doesn't mean that if your secret got out you'd be safe, Edward. You and Alphonse would still be exicuted. We're here to make sure nobody abstracts those laws, reguardless if they're children or adults."

Ed's eyes widened in fear. "Why, you..."

"Actually," Roy went on. "I've kept you here because I didn't want the Furher to murder two children for breaking those laws. But if I let you out on the streets, chances are you'd be forced, either by the homunculi or others, into breaking another law. And this time-- People would know. If you choose to leave the millitary now, Fullmetal, I'd spill the dirt I have on you to protcect the citizens of Central and keep the homunculi from getting an extra boost that they certianly do not need. Now do you get it? Stay on your chain and you live. But stray and the pound will come. After all- Dogs only have so long to live in there before being put down."

Ed couldn't help it. His hands started to shake and sweat, his eyes wide and full of fear. "Blackmail..." He mumered.

"Try and aprehend me to the Furher and he'll know something's up. He knows me as a loyal officer. Nothing I've done has ever led him to believe that I've done otherwise. Keep your mouth shut and pretend we never had this little talk, okay?" Roy stood again and left the room. He wanted Ed to soak up the rules he had just applied.

Ed couldn't help it. He coughed into his hand, tears starting to spill down his cheeks. He knew that if he stay chained to the millitary that he couldn't fill his promise. He couldn't help Al.

Al felt the soothing hot water stream down his back. He sighed and rested in Winry's arms, who lathered his mane and washed the dirt from it. Al was always her little brother, too. Even if they wern't really related. He was just so loveable. She didn't mind helping him when he needed it. After all, she used to spend all her time on Ed's auto-mail, and Al would always have to come. She was okay with helping the younger.

Winry smiled as Al looked up at her.

"Thanks." He said, closing his eyes.

Winry petted his head as she washed his back. "I'm just doing what you can't. No need for it."

"I'm saying thanks for both of us. Thanks for taking care of Big Brother's auto-mail for so long. Thanks for helping us so much and just being there, Winry. You're a great friend to have. I couldn't ask for more than you and Brother." Al purred.

Winry glowed. "Aww, you're welcome, Al." She hugged the chimera. _You're the dreamer._ Winry thought. _You aught to think like this. I just hope you never catch up in real time, like your Brother. _

Al jerked back. "Winry, is there something you've been holding back from me?"

Winry's gaze fell soft.

**.:Flashback:.**

_"Winry?" _

_"Yes?" Winry looked at Ed. _

_"If I tell you this, will you promise me you won't tell Al?" Ed asked, staring out a window. _

_"Yeah, of course." _

_"Promise me, Winry." Ed said more firmly. _

_  
Winry nodded. "I promise I won't tell Al. Now, what is it?" _

_"Al has the body of a chimera. He was taken out of his old one. I was reaserching, and..." _

_"And what?" Winry's voice was scared. _

_"His body has died. It can no longer bear the power of a spirit and a soul. Only one or the other. A body needs to hold a soul to give it life, and a spirit to keep it there. If it cannot, well..." Ed looked down. _

_"What are you saying, Ed?" Winry jerked his shoulder. _

_"I can't bring Al back to his old body. Until the chimera body rejects his soul, he'll have to live in this body. When this body rejects his soul, he's dead, Winry." Ed broke down in tears. _

**.:End Flashback:.**

"No." Winry whispered, drawing close to Al, savoring his voice. "I would never."

Al looked her in the eyes, searching for a source to make him feel like she wasn't lying. But that source wasn't there, and his gut simply would not execpt that she was telling the truth. "Winry, if there was ever, _ever_ a reason not to tell me something, it's because Brother told you not to."

Winry bit her lip. The innocence in his eyes made her confidence shatter. She could only hope that she was doing a good job of convincing Al that all was okay. Even though it wasn't.

"I promise you, Al. Everything's fine. And Ed would never make me hold something back. You should know that." She cuffed him in the ear.

"That's a promise." Al weakly smiled, finding something to cling on in her eyes. "I'm trusting _you_, Winry."

Winry felt her heart sink. Guilt ate her inside out. _Oh, Dear Lord,_ She wrapped her arms around him again, quietly sobbing into his mane. It was so hushed that even he didn't hear it. _I never wanted to lie to you, Al. But I can't tell you the truth. I don't want you to die._

* * *

The next few days were slow and dark. Ed kept away from Al. If he didn't, he'd spill it about Al. Ed was never very good at keeping things to himself.

They had to even seidate Al because he demanded to get in Ed's room so bad.

Ed couldn't run from the truth.

He wasn't scared of it.

He wasn't running from it.

He was worried for the dreamer.

Scared for the boy who never saw anything coming.

It was then it hit.

And nobody.

Nobody.

Saw.

It.

Coming.


	22. Rage is Gone

**Ooh, suspence, suspence! What could happen? What will happen? Who knows, who knows! Now, if any of you out there would kindly offer to be my beta reader... I just really, really need one. Please get back to me on that one, okay? Thanks. Thanks a bunch to my readers. I love you all. Thanks so much again. TTTTOOOOOOOO YYYYOOOOOUUUUU AAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Disclaimer: Own Fullmetal Alchemist I not do, I not do, I NOT DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I did. Feh. Heck yeah, I do! But I don't. **

Al sniffed the meat cautiously that Winry held out for him. "Is it safe?" He asked skepticlly.

"Of course." She laughed, taking a nibble for herself. "It's beef jerky. Ed loves the stuff."

"Brother does?" Al was a bit more eager to taste the dried meat, but still was unsure. "I've never seen Brother eat it."

"Come on, Al. It tastes yummy." Winry held the piece just a little closer to Al's mouth.

Al bit his lip and reached out for the meat, gently gripping it in his massive jaws. He chewed for a second before looking at Winry with a why-can't-I-chew-this-stuff look in his eyes.

Winry laughed again. She looked to the door, which slowly started to creak open. Before Winry could blink, Al was up, off the bed, and at the door, his ears perked.

"Brother!" He screached, leaping at the door. It swung open and Ed was on the floor in an instant. Al was on top of him, rubbing agenst him, his eyes more bright than Ed had seen them in a while.

"Stop," Ed commanded, pushing Al off him. Al looked just a bit defeated when Ed sat up. "I can't, we can't--" Ed jumped up and nerviously raced back to his room.

Al sat, his head cocked, ears slightly pressed down, a sad look in his eyes. His shoulders were slumped and his tail was at his side. His head threatened to drop as he stared on, wondering if he had begun to scare his brother.

Winry came out and stopped at the doorway. She gasped quietly and swooned to Al, putting a hand on his shoulder. Al only slumped back to the room and jumped back on the bed, silent and hurting.

Ed, meanwhile, banged his fist on the wall. _Why!?_ He cursed at himself. _Why are you submiting to me, Al? You're supposed to fight back! Knock some sense into me!!_ He slammed his head on the wall, hoping it would offer something. But nothing came to him.

That's when it happened next. There was a loud _slam_-- and a few crashes followed by. Then a roar echoed threw the walls and a scream.

_Winry. _

Ed tore back to Al's room and saw Envy standing by a large hole in the wall, and Al- or a least he hoped it was Al- standing in front of Winry. This new creature's paws were incased in fire and his tail was long with an arrowhead on the end. His claws were long and rasor sharp. Two menicing fangs proded from the corners of it's lips, threatning to lash out and tear Envy to shreds. It's eyes were but deep red slits and it's back was long, long with sharp spikes crawling down the spine. The mane had become a collar of spikes that looked like just one touch would prove to draw blood. The heat in the room was intense. It felt like you'd burn; but as soon as you realised it wasn't fire, you were overwhelmed by power. Ed never knew that the power inside Al would prove so _strong_.

Al growled deeply. "Touch Winry and die..." His voice was low and... _Evil._

Ed slid back behind the door. He could make a good suprise attack, if the time were right.

"Such a threat from such a beast, I'm scared." Envy lied. "Why are you so intent on killing me, Brat?"

"Because you hurt Brother, and I need my revenge from Wrath." Al took a step forward, daring the homunculus.

"Revenge?" Envy began to laugh. "Wrath saved your hide. And you insist on still getting what you want? God, you really _are_ worse than Fullmetal."

"Shut up!" Al roared, ready to pounce.

"If you're half the runt Fullmetal is, then fight me. If you're weak, run." Envy turned around.

Al lunged at Envy, and actually pinned him down. His speed and strength had increased ten-fold.

"Agrh!" Envy grunted, feeling the blast of heat run threw his body.

Al stuck his nose in Envy's face, bearing his fangs. "One more thing and you're dead, Envy."

Envy grinned. "Go ahead."

Al did. He tore everything that had built up in him out. His claws died the floor a black, milky blood. His fangs and lips were stained with scratches of Envy fighting back. His mouth was filled witht he metalic taste of blood. He ripped away at Envy's neck. Al stopped when his fangs bit down on something, and it shattered. He spit out a few shards of a glass-like solid that cut his tounge. Envy squeaked as his face went pale and he stopped moving.

The philosiphers' stone inside of him had been shattered.

Al's energy depleated. He went back to his chimera form, and stumbled sideways. Winry was on her knees, shaking.

Ed came out from behind the door. He ran to Al, wrapping his hands around his younger brother's neck. Blood stained him, but he felt relieved. And shattered. "Al," He started in.

Al looked at the elder, tears in his eyes. He hadn't the words to say.

Ed only pushed himself away. He didn't know what feeling had overcome him, it just wasn't a plesant one. "Go away." He commanded.

"Wha... What?" Al stepped forward, weakly.

"I said, _go away!_" Ed hollared, slamming his boot in Al's lower jaw. _What... What is this feeling?_ He asked, taking a step back.

_Let it go. _

"What?" Ed said aloud, in response to the voice.

_Do not fight me, Edward. Do not try to resist. _

"What do you want?" Ed shouted, making Al look at him oddly.

_I am the blood that pulses threw the chimera's veins. I am Rage. That boy does not posses enough strength anymore to keep me sealed within his body. I need a new host. Do not try to fight me, I am much stronger. _

Ed's eyes widened. Rage was inside of him. Trying to take total control.

_Because that boy knows of my existance, and the Colonel, they must die. _

Ed felt weak. Limp. He felt his legs move, and... And... He wasn't sure.

Al screached, sliding over to Winry. Winry gasped, taking hold of Al. She looked up at the glossy blonde-headed boy. Only it wasn't the same Edward Elric that she'd known all her life. It was a black-eyed monster with dark, dark golden hair and a State Alchemist's watch.

The monster laughed and turned away, headed for only once place.

That's when Havoc, Breda, Furey, and Armstrong came in. They gasped and removed Al and Winry from the scene. Scared, determined, and disgusted looks were exchanged.

Was it Rage or was it Ed? Not even the great Fullmetal Alchemist himself knew. All he did know was that he hurt Al, scared Winry, and left a huge crime scene for others to see.

But what he didn't see was the face of the dead homunculus.

What he didn't see was his own face morphed onto Envy's.

He did not see that Envy had transformed into Ed himself.

He hadn't known that Envy changed into Edward as he died.


	23. Death Shal Not See Thou's Sins

**OMG... No reviews. That's okay. I'll be okay. I'm having fun. I'm an only child. I'm used to only myself. So I'm having fun writing this. I, like, still have an imaginary friend. Yeah. It's called my imagination. I'll be sititng there in math class and then something from that land will pop up and scream "**_**DOODLE ME!**_**" until I doodle it. Then I get caught and in trouble and... Sorry, I'm in that land again. Aha ha, lol. I gotta' say, and I'm not bragging, but... I think I have a bit of a hand when it comes to drawing. Not people(I think, anyway. The others tell me I'm good.), but made-up animals. Chibi Ed and Al's. Mostly just Chibi things. They're so small and cute and KAWAII!!!!!!!!!!!! OMFG, calm yourself down, take a breath... *takes sevral deep breaths* Okay, I'm normal again. If I ever was normal. Lol. On with the show!!! **

**Disclaimer: (God, I hate this thing) I do not own FMA in any way, on any planet, in any lake, in any building, cave, park, shop, or anything- I don't own FMA.**

Al looked around, nerviously. They had put him in a cage in a small, locked-up room with guards surrounding it. He wasn't sure where Winry was, either. Or Ed. He was even more worried that Ed wasn't okay. And Ed was talking to himself. Something about 'why' or 'what'. Al didn't know. He could only remember the pain surging threw his jaw and then Ed leaving. Why did Ed push him away? He couldn't say anything before because he was too startled by the whole suituation.

A door behind him creaked open and there was a what seemed-like-forever pause before somebody entered. Al gazed up at the face of Selim Bradley(A/N: Spelled wrong? I thought so.). Current Furher. Al looked at his eyepatch. It made him seem so more... Mysterious.

Bradley stooped low by the front of the cage, looking Al in the eyes. "Alphonse Elric?" He asked.

Al streightened, but couldn't help shaking from fear. "Y-Y-Yes?"

"Come now, there's nothing to be afraid of." Bradley's tone was slow and much like that of a fatherly-figure coaxing a child back into sleep after a nightmare. It was calming and easy to trust. Reassurent.

Al bit his lip hard and nodded, making few whimpering noises.

Bradley smiled. "Now, Alphonse, can you tell me what happened in your hospital room?"

"T-T-The h-homunc-culus E-Envy c-came and w-wanted to h-hurt W-Winry, s-so I defended h-her and k-killed him." Al looked down as he said this, feeling a wave of guilt flush threw his body.

"But I hope you do know that the person you killed looked nothing like this homunculus." Bradley then frowned.

Al's head jerked up and his eyes met the firm stare of the Furher's. "No, I didn't." He stopped shaking a bit.

"The person was far from anyone like a homunculus. It was your brother. Edward Elric."

Al backed up and slammed his back agenst the back wall of the cage. He wanted to put as much distance as he could between this lying fool and him. "N-No... No... C-Couldn't be..." Al shook his head, tears threatining to spill down the sides of his cheeks.

Bradley took in a sharp breath, nodding. He looked away, allowing Al to soak in the 'truth' he had just sat in front of him.

Al shook his head harder. "No... I... I didn't k-kill Ed!" He yelled stomping his paw in disbelief.

Bradley nodded again. "Murder of State Alchemist, Distruction of Property..." He said this as if he were reading it from a list. "It could get you exicuted, Alphonse. If not, at least a Life Sentence in Prision."

Al's eyes widened. Tears washed over the sides of his face, drenching it a salty black. He kept shaking his head, hoping the things he had just heard would literaly come out. He squeezed his eyes shut, grinding his teeth. He colapsed down, covering his face with his paws as he sobbed loudly.

The Furher stood and turned away. "Unless we can convince the Judge that you are insane. Then you'd be diagnosed as a 'Social Hazard', in medical terms, and be locked up in a mental hospital. It's your choice."

"Kill me." Al muttered quietly, having stopped quietly.

The Furher hid his grin. "Are you sure you want to be exicuted?"

"I can see my brother again." Al said stubbornly.

"Very well. You will be on trial by the late end of the day or early tommorrow. The Jury will find you to be exicuted, and they will schedule it for a week's time. I'll make sure it goes as planned. The Rockbell's will only be told that you and Edward have been taken off to Xing. A small war broke out there, and we needed Edward as a Human Weapon. He would not leave without you. You two were murdered there. Then, in honor of your Brother, we will hold a funeral for both of you. Nobody shal know of the exicution." Bradley stated, turning to look at Al.

Al gulped loudly and nodded. He never thought that he would know the exact time, exact place, of his death. He had seen death. Felt it. Touched it. It tasted so bitter. Smelt sour. Felt so sharp and painful. Looked like a living hell. And sounded like the screams of somebody that had been tortured to death.

Al had been there. He was going back. Only because Ed was there to join him. It would be okay. Ed would be there. And maybe Trisha could bring them to a happier place. Where they could live normally, peacefully. With nothing wrong. This tasted so sweet.

Al fell asleep, thinking of how happy things would be.

Then he had to wake up. He was taken to a scarey place. Riza held one chain that was wrapped around his left front leg. Mustang held the right-front chain. Breda held the left-back chain, and Havoc held the right-back chain. The Furher held the chain connecting to the spiked collar that wrapped around Al's neck. The lugged him to a very dark place. It was built with no light, and the stench of decay and blood permiated the air. They all walked in silence.

A rope was placed around Al's neck. He was placed on a block of ice in the middle of a tub. There was a large tub surrounding the area and small electrical wires were set in the corners of the tub. Each was connected to a battery just outside the tub. Al knew exactly how it would happen.

The ice would melt, leaving him no place to stand on, and he'd be hung. If he slipped out of the noose(A/N: nuse, whatever, sorry!)and the ice was melted, the wires would produce ellectricty, and he'd be shocked to death. Over 29,000 wats of electricty pulsed threw the pool when the ice melted, he was sure. Mustang turned on a heater in the room and looked at Al, who stood on his hind legs miserably, crying his eyes out.

"Alphonse, I just wanted you to know, we'll miss you forever." He said, teeling a twing in his eyes as he closed the door.

_Creak. Slam. Creak. Slam. Creak. Slam. _The noise repated forever in his mind as the ice started to melt.

He felt the rope become tighter around his neck as the ice melted. He wondered if he should just slip out of the rope and end it quickly.

He felt lightheaded and unable to breathe. The rope became even tighter, hugging his neck so tight that it burned. He began to loose his footing, and slipped off the ice. He swung in mid-air, grabbing at the rope, trying to pry it from his neck. He got his balance again, only to feel the ice slip away in the small pool of water. He dangled, slowly, back and forth, as the breath was drawn from his lungs. It began to burn.

Al drew in his last, sweet breath of air. Tears stained his face as he slowly closed his eyes, feeling the bitter taste enter his mouth enter once again. He felt the sharp tingle on his body and heard the screams. He smelt the sour aroma that lingered in the air. And, as the dark came in, he saw orange flames licking up to pull his body into his new home. They didn't look too egar to let him go once Trisha came, either.

He opened his eyes again, looking at the black wall.

But an illuminating glow started to paint itself across the cement wall. It moved back and forth, painting glowing words.

_Death shal not see thou's sins. _

Al closed his eyes, feeling as if he'd be welcomed once he was gone.

_Death shal not see thou's sins._

The light glowed harder.

Al closed his eyes and looked down as the world faded away again.

"Alphonse!" Screamed a voice.

Winry and Ed were there.

But Al would've never known.

Because he was in a better place.

He was with Trisha.

In that white space called _The Truth. _

_**End**_


End file.
